Flight cancelled: try an ADR or directly to claims management company?
My Ryanair flight was cancelled (officially delayed 18 hours) because a crew member was sick and according to the EU regulation 261 and sources like this and this I should be entitled to a 400€ (> 1500Km within EU) plus taxis from/to the airport. I got an email from Ryanair denying the compensation:
Following a review of your claim, we regret to advise that no liablity to compensation arises under the EU261 regulation as your flight was disrupted due to unexpected crew sickness out of base.
If you are unhappy with our decision, you can take your complaint to your local Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) body, details of which can be found in our help centre page on our website.
Should I try with an ADR, like mentioned in Ryanair's email, or go directly to a claims management company like AirHelp or Flightrights? With the latter, I'm almost sure that I'll win, but they charge ~30-35% of the money, which is a lot. Are ADRs of any help or just a waste of time? Will going to an ADR prevent me from latter going to court? There is only one ADR listed in the European Commission's list of ADRs for transport services in Ireland: NetNeutrals EU Ltd,
Best Answer
According to the EU
If the airline does not provide you with a satisfactory explanation, you can contact your national authority documentfor further assistance.
With a linked PDF containing the list of the respective autorities
I highly suggest you to follow EU guidance and contact your home country's authority, especially since you have the cancellation/delay reason in wrting (if you don't live in the EU, I think you would be able to contact the Irish authority as Ryanair is based there)
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Can you claim compensation if your flight is Cancelled?
Claim compensation for a cancelled flight You're legally entitled to get compensation if the cancellation is the airline's responsibility and both the following apply: the replacement flight delays your arrival by 2 or more hours. your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.What are your rights if your flight is Cancelled?
But in a routine cancellation, you have two basic contractual rights on any airline, subject to minor variations: either (1) a seat on your original airline's next available flight, or (2) a refund for the unused portion of your ticket. Some airlines go beyond those bare-bones rights.Are airlines required to compensate customers for flight delays cancellations?
Airlines are not required to compensate passengers when flights are delayed or canceled; U.S. laws only require compensation when a passenger is "bumped" from a flight that is oversold. Many credit cards with travel benefits offer protections that cover flight delays, cancellations and lost or delayed luggage.How long do I have to claim compensation for Cancelled flight?
In the UK, compensation claims are valid for up to six years. The 6 year period begins from the end of the year in which the incident occured. This means that if your flight was cancelled on 01.01. 2014, you have until the end of 2020 to enforce your claim \u2013 that's almost 7 years!Airline Refunds - Flight Cancelled? Know Your Rights!
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