Because of the volcano’s unpredictability, BCD Travel recommends clients consult the BCD Travel Information Center (www.netvibes.com/bcdtravel) before travelling. The site consolidates real-time news feeds from organizations tracking the volcano’s effects. We also recommend checking airline and airport Web sites before departing on a trip.
BCD Travel is committed to assisting clients who are traveling or about to travel into, out of or across Europe. Whenever necessary, BCD Travel will add staff to our emergency after-hours operations, seek alternative forms of transport for travellers as needed, and will expand the hours of our largest contact centers and mobilise teams of onsite/implants and virtual/work-at-home travel consultants wherever significant flight disruptions occur as a result of the volcanic ash.
Advice for BCD Travel clients and travellers:
«« Airline Web sites: We recommend travellers consult airline Web sites to check flight status and other information readily available online. This will allow BCD Travel to better service travellers calling for assistance in re-booking any cancelled flights.
«« Company Web sites/portals: Many companies have corporate intranets or travel portals. Consult these sites for the latest information and advice from your company.
«« Official news: For the latest information on European airport closings and related news, consult www.eurocontrol.int, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation’s site. Major news sites and airline Web sites also offer real-time updates for travellers. Click www.netvibes.com/bcdtravel to access the online Information Center that BCD Travel set up to help travellers and clients stay apprized of the evolving situation.
Volcano crisis: Information on traveller expense reimbursement procedures
The information provided here is accurate to the best of BCD Travel’s knowledge. Equally, this information does not constitute legal advice, and statements regarding airline reimbursement policies should not be taken as a substitute for direct contact with the airline in question.
In the aftermath of the explosion of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and the subsequent cancellation of thousands of flights into, within and out of Europe over a six-day period, many corporations and their travellers are uncertain as to whether costs they incurred during the delay (such as hotel, meals and incidentals) are eligible for reimbursement from their air carriers – and, if so, how to go about claiming such reimbursement.
You will find below a brief text highlighting the issues at hand and providing additional information resources on this topic.
Eligibility for reimbursement of travel costs varies according to the region and the airline in question
Due to wide variance and ongoing evolution in airline reimbursement polices concerning the volcano episode, and differences in passenger rights legislation across regions of the globe, at this point in time, we are unable to state definitively what will be reimbursed, by whom, and how. However, certain broad patterns are emerging:
In the European Union (27 member states plus Norway, Iceland and Switzerland), EU law requires airlines in Europe to pay for hotel and meal costs of passengers whose flights are canceled for any reason. European carriers must also adhere to EU law even when one of their flights is canceled or delayed at a non-EU airport.
Please see below for additional reimbursement information and resources for EU passengers (that is, passengers stranded at any EU airport or on a flight operated by any EU carrier).
The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, maintains that non-EU carriers' flights leaving Europe are subject to the EU's customer-care law. But following the volcano episode, several U.S. carriers, including American, Continental, US Airways and Delta Air Lines, have said their flights leaving Europe are not bound by that EU law, at least in this case.
Within other countries or regions where no specific passenger legislation is in place, including the United States and Asia Pacific, reimbursement policy varies from carrier to carrier. A number of airlines have limited their actions to waiving cancellation and re-booking fees for affected travellers.
Airlines are requiring that customers contact them directly for reimbursement information and claim submission.
Because of the factors noted above (widely varying carrier policies, different passenger rights legislation, conflict over cross-regional legislation coverage), all customers should contact their airline directly for reimbursement information and claim submission after checking with their internal travel department.
BCD Travel has been notified by several major airlines that the airlines will only process individual claims for reimbursement submitted by individual travellers. They will not action claims submitted by travel management companies on their clients’ behalf, nor collective claims submitted by corporations (e.g., combining claims from multiple travellers in a single request).
Additionally, BCD Travel recommends that corporations check with their company travel insurance provider, as some expenses not covered by airlines may be covered by the insurance policy.
For detailed and up-to-date information on EU passenger policies and procedures, please refer to the following additional sources;
• European Commission Mobility & Transport – Passenger Rights
This site contains general information on passenger rights in the EU, which apply to all flights operated by any airline from any EU airport and flights to any EU airport operated by any EU airline.
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passengers/air/air_en.htm
• EU Passenger Rights
Full text of regulation EU 261/2004 on the rights of air passengers, which apply to all flights operated by any airline from any EU airport and flights to any EU airport operated by any EU airline.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:046:0001:0007:EN:PDF
• List of EU National Enforcement Bodies
EU rules oblige Member States to nominate or create “national enforcement bodies”, whose role is to verify that transport operators are treating all passengers in accordance with their rights. Passengers who believe they have not been treated correctly should contact the body in the country where the incident took place (i.e.the country from which the flight departed. If the airport of departure was outside of the EU, the passenger should contact the national enforcement body of the member state of the flight’s destination.)
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passengers/air/doc/national_enforcement_bodies.pdf
• EU Air Passenger Rights Complaint Form
This form can be used to lodge a complaint with an airline and/or national enforcement body.
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passengers/air/doc/complain_form/eu_complaint_form_en.pdf
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