Thousands waiting for plane refunds
Ombudsman receives 10,000 complaints from passengers - and only 12 cases have been resolved so far.
MORE than 10,000 people have complained to France's air travel ombudsman about airlines failing to provide a refund for the ash cloud disruption - and only 12 cases have been settled so far.
Mediator Thierry Baudier told Le Parisien that the free service was dealing with a very high volume of phone calls and letters from passengers.
The ombudsman has received 10,000 calls and about 1,000 letters - however in many cases the regulator is unable to act immediately because the delay for getting a reply from the airline has not yet passed.
About half of the complaints made so far are from passengers who were stranded overseas and claim they were not properly looked after by their airline.
Consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has signed a deal with the main French tour operators and airlines about what they will - and will not - pay stranded passengers.
If your flight was cancelled, you have a right under EU law to a full refund. If you chose to be booked on to a later flight, the airline has a duty to pay for food and accommodation.
Anyone whose package holiday was cancelled before the departure date can reschedule with their tour operator and pick an alternative date - and destination - within the next 12 months.
The air travel mediator can be contacted on 0800 000 402 (free from a landline) during normal office hours or you can lodge an online complaint at this website.
Related stories:
Mediator for air payout complaints
Air refund deal signed
