Easyjet also forced couple off overbooked flight

Airlines are flouting existing EU law and taking law into their own hands with no one to stop them. Two Easyjet Passengers were removed from an overbooked flight at Luton Airport flying to Catania in Scilly on Monday last week, the day after a United Airlines passenger was dragged off a plane in US.

The British couple was thrown out after boarding the aircraft because the plane had been overbooked and although Easyjet apologised and blamed human error they did not offer any compensation.

The two passengers who had booked non-refundable accommodation in Italy were told that the next available Easyjet flight was four days later, however, the airline failed to tell them they were entitled to a flight the same day with another airline, or to compensation as stipulated under EU rules.

According Easyjet the final two passengers should not have been issued a boarding pass at the bag-drop area in Luton Airport, as their tickets were not properly scanned and so the system thought there were enough seats on the plane, and this was a two distinct cases of human error.

The couple who had planned a six-day holiday was forced to cancel the trip.

A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said the rights of passengers denied boarding, including overbooking, were protected under European Law.

“Passengers are entitled to a minimum level of compensation, and must be offered an alternative flight, or “reroute”, at the earliest opportunity or at a date that suits you, or offered a full refund, if the passenger no longer wants to fly.”