Turbulent time in bid for flight compensation

Q MY FAMILY and I – three of us in total – went on a package holiday from Gatwick to Tenerife with Thompson (now Tui) in July 2013, returning 10 days later.

The flights in outward and return directions were very delayed – both by around eight hours. I had to pay for extra airport parking on the way home as what should have been late evening turned into the following morning.

On both journeys, tempers frayed – we were told a “shortage of aircraft” was the reason.

I have been trying for ages but I can’t get any money out of Tui. It says it can’t help unless I produce my booking reference number, which nearly five years later I have lost. It told me that “due to updates in our system we are unable to help”!

Can you please help me and tell me how I can find my details so I can claim against them for delayed flights? Patrick W A YOU have six years to claim compensation – as your delay was over three hours in each direction, and the distance from Gatwick to Tenerife is 2,910 kms (about 1,800 miles), it’s €400 per person per flight. That adds up to €2,400 (about £2,000). Most European flights are shorter – compensation is €250.

Airlines must keep passenger records for legal and security reasons so finding your details should have been easy once Which? got Tui onto the job.

While it’s fair to ask why you did not start the claims process earlier, it appears you did not know about this. In any case, you have six years.

It should have been easy once we got Tui looking. But we ran into turbulence. You provided dates for outward and inward flights. However, Tui says it had no flight to Tenerife on the day you specified. It did have a return journey on the August day you stated – and while this was delayed, it was under three hours.

Tui also said it did not offer the 10-day holiday which you said you took to Tenerife in 2013 (although it does now).

It can only surmise you travelled with another holiday company.

In that case, you have just over a year to start an action against that organisation.