Simon Calder Explains How Travelers Can Secure Refunds Despite Compensation Restrictions

Light shed upon the possibility for travelers to receive reimbursements for all expenses supported while stranded abroad.

During his appearance on GB News, Simon Calder shed light on the potential for travelers to claim reimbursements for expenses incurred while stranded abroad, even in the face of a prohibition on cash compensation.

Speaking on the show "Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel," Calder, a seasoned travel expert, delineated the nuances of the situation. He clarified that passengers won't be eligible for compensation as the circumstances leading to the disruption were "not the airline's fault." However, he underscored that airlines bear a stringent responsibility to provide essential care, including arranging accommodation and covering meal costs for stranded passengers – a facet that travelers can indeed seek reimbursement for.

Calder emphasized, “Crucially, there's a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation around this morning. Eamon, on the subject of compensation and getting your money back, those are two different things.

“So I need to be absolutely clear that if your flight is cancelled, the airline has a strict obligation to deliver to you a duty of care, getting you back as soon as possible and getting you a hotel room and paying for your meals.

He further clarified, “All of that the airline has to do. And if they're not booking a hotel for you, then you keep the receipts and you claim it back, but nobody is going to get cash compensation.”

Calder remarked, “It's clearly not the airline's fault. So there's some reports saying that people are incurring hotel bills going into thousands of pounds.”

GB News presenter Isabel Webster facilitated the clarification for passengers: “It's slightly misleading then because I'm just trying to piece together exactly what you've said and all the front pages this morning.

"Flight sale families thousands of pounds out of pocket, no compo for stranded passengers and this one, not a penny to compensate air chaos victims.

"But you're saying they won't get a big payout, but they will get refunds of airline tickets, overnight stays and food?"

Addressing Webster's observation, Calder concurred, "You're absolutely right. It's a situation where if the airline cancels a flight due to their own error, you are automatically entitled to compensation."

He added, “Exactly right is well, yeah, the it's one of these things where if the airline cancels and it's their fault, you are automatically in line for a payment

"Between 220 and 520 pounds clearly isn't their fault.

"Therefore, they are still obliged to give you the money back that you are spending in order to stay there because your flight isn't going.

"But you're not going to get compensation. On top recompense, getting your money back and compensation are two completely separate things."

Source: gbnews.com