This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/04/thomas-cook-compensation-no-deal-brexit-disruption
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Cook rules out compensation for no-deal Brexit disruption | Thomas Cook rules out compensation for no-deal Brexit disruption |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British tourists travelling with Thomas Cook will not receive compensation or expenses should their flights be grounded as a result of a no-deal Brexit, the company has said. | British tourists travelling with Thomas Cook will not receive compensation or expenses should their flights be grounded as a result of a no-deal Brexit, the company has said. |
| The airline and tour operator, a specialist in package holidays, changed its terms and conditions to reflect the risk of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal, including on aviation. | |
| Thomas Cook, based in Manchester, has designated a no-deal Brexit as being akin to other situations it cannot control such as “civil unrest or events arising out of political instability”, in its conditions. | Thomas Cook, based in Manchester, has designated a no-deal Brexit as being akin to other situations it cannot control such as “civil unrest or events arising out of political instability”, in its conditions. |
| While the company will continue to refund the cost if a flight is cancelled, the change will mean it is not obliged to pay additional compensation. | While the company will continue to refund the cost if a flight is cancelled, the change will mean it is not obliged to pay additional compensation. |
| Last week, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, confirmed that “if everything goes wrong … British planes will not be able to land on the European continent”. | Last week, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, confirmed that “if everything goes wrong … British planes will not be able to land on the European continent”. |
| A UK government report published in September warned flights could be disrupted in the case of no deal, as EU-issued aviation licences would be invalid. | |
| Thomas Cook said last year that they would make changes to its terms to treat any airspace closure as being in the same category as a natural disaster. | |
| It has now emerged that specific provision has been made for all the problems associated with a no-deal Brexit, with the company ruling out “compensation, damages, expenses, costs, losses or any other amount of any description” due to the “inability of Thomas Cook Airlines to operate flights as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (including the loss or restriction of air traffic or transit rights or the right of airline(s) to enter any airspace)”. | It has now emerged that specific provision has been made for all the problems associated with a no-deal Brexit, with the company ruling out “compensation, damages, expenses, costs, losses or any other amount of any description” due to the “inability of Thomas Cook Airlines to operate flights as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (including the loss or restriction of air traffic or transit rights or the right of airline(s) to enter any airspace)”. |
| Asked whether its customers could be stranded on the continent by the cancellation of flights, a spokesman said: “If a customer was on a holiday with Thomas Cook, we would ensure we would get them home as we do with all the holidays we sell.” | Asked whether its customers could be stranded on the continent by the cancellation of flights, a spokesman said: “If a customer was on a holiday with Thomas Cook, we would ensure we would get them home as we do with all the holidays we sell.” |
| The spokesman added of the changes to the terms and conditions: “We have been selling holidays and flights for the post-Brexit world for over a year and have prepared the business to operate in that environment, including introducing a clause into our terms and conditions. | The spokesman added of the changes to the terms and conditions: “We have been selling holidays and flights for the post-Brexit world for over a year and have prepared the business to operate in that environment, including introducing a clause into our terms and conditions. |
| “We clarified our terms and conditions to highlight that if customers could no longer fly, we would of course ensure that the cost of tickets, or package holidays, were reimbursed.” | “We clarified our terms and conditions to highlight that if customers could no longer fly, we would of course ensure that the cost of tickets, or package holidays, were reimbursed.” |
| The UK is seeking a replacement for the open skies agreement, which currently allows EU airlines to fly wherever they wish within the EU. | The UK is seeking a replacement for the open skies agreement, which currently allows EU airlines to fly wherever they wish within the EU. |
| Airlines UK, an industry association that represents 13 UK-registered carriers, has said it is confident an agreement will be reached to protect customers. | Airlines UK, an industry association that represents 13 UK-registered carriers, has said it is confident an agreement will be reached to protect customers. |
| In January, Ryanair added a “Brexit clause” to its conditions, in which it warned customers that tickets would not be valid if an aviation agreement were not settled between the EU and the UK. The company said it would pay compensation. | In January, Ryanair added a “Brexit clause” to its conditions, in which it warned customers that tickets would not be valid if an aviation agreement were not settled between the EU and the UK. The company said it would pay compensation. |
| The Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder said: “Without a specific deal on air transport, flights will come to a standstill on the evening of 29 March 2019. I’m not making this up. I’ve met many airlines and this is what they tell me. | The Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder said: “Without a specific deal on air transport, flights will come to a standstill on the evening of 29 March 2019. I’m not making this up. I’ve met many airlines and this is what they tell me. |
| “The Tories are lost in their Brexit psychosis, ignoring the extreme economic damage they are about inflict on the country and people’s lives.” | “The Tories are lost in their Brexit psychosis, ignoring the extreme economic damage they are about inflict on the country and people’s lives.” |
| Thomas Cook | Thomas Cook |
| Airline industry | Airline industry |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| Travel & leisure | Travel & leisure |
| European Union | European Union |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |