Airline ordered to reopen claims after passenger complaints

An airline has committed to reopening claims from passengers after the aviation regulator stepped in to force the issue. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said its enforcement action against Wizz Air followed ‘significant concerns over high volumes of complaints’ about the airline not paying passengers what they are owed.

The failure to meet passenger rights obligations is believed to have contributed to a large number of county court judgments which have been found against Wizz Air over the last nine months.

The airline has committed to re-look at claims it received for replacement flight costs, transfers when replacement flights were via different airports, and care and assistance (typically hotel costs) following flight disruptions.

Passengers whose claims cover flights since 18 March 2022 will automatically have their claims revisited. Those with a flight before that day can also request for their claims to be reopened, as long as the flight was within the last six years.

Wizz Air has agreed to sign undertakings to formalise these commitments with the regulator.

The CAA will monitor compliance over the forthcoming months and Wizz Air will be required to provide information about its review of closed expenses claims. It must also introduce changes to its policies, procedures and passenger communications.

Paul Smith, joint-interim chief executive at the CAA, said: ‘This enforcement action sends a clear message that airlines must meet their obligations to passengers when they cancel or delay a flight. We will not hesitate to step in if we believe that airlines are not consistently doing this.

‘Passengers have every right to expect their complaints and claims to be resolved quickly and efficiently and to be treated fairly by airlines, in line with regulations. We made it clear to Wizz Air last year that the way it was treating passengers was unacceptable.’

In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, Wizz Air said it had faced unprecedented operating challenges last summer caused by air traffic control disruptions, airport constraints and staff shortages across the supply chain.

Marion Geoffroy, managing director, admitted that flights were too often late or cancelled and that claims took too long to process and pay. ‘We have learned from this experience and have taken significant steps to make our operation more robust and customer-centric,’ she added. ‘We know that we need to rebuild trust, and we want to show our customers how serious we are about making improvements for the future.’

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