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Row grows over air shutdown costs Row grows over air shutdown costs
(about 2 hours later)
Recriminations are growing over the costs of the six-day UK airspace shutdown as thousands of Britons continue to make their way home. Recriminations are growing over the costs of the six-day airspace shutdown as thousands of Britons continue their slow journey back to the UK.
The Civil Aviation Authority has strongly rejected accusations it was too slow in lifting the flight ban. Airlines want compensation for the volcanic ash disruption, estimated to have cost the industry more than £1bn.
But many airlines are demanding government compensation, while Ryanair said it will not reimburse passengers costs beyond refunding initial fares. Ryanair has now said it will abide by EU rules and and pay for stranded passengers' food and accommodation.
EU regulations require carriers to cover passengers' reasonable expenses. The Civil Aviation Authority has rejected accusations that it was too slow in reopening UK airspace.
Traffic volume Almost all flights across Europe are expected to go ahead on Thursday.
Mike Carrivick, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives, which represents more than 90 airlines, said the EU rules were never meant to apply to situations such as the volcanic ash cloud. Huge numbers of passengers stranded by the flight ban are still finding their own way back, however.
UK air traffic control body Nats said a volume of airline traffic "approaching 90%" was expected from 0700 BST. Ryanair U-turn
The efforts to get tens of thousands of stranded Britons home have stepped up a pace, with Heathrow Airport being granted permission for more night landings. Many airlines are angry at the length of the airspace ban and its knock-on cost to them.
There were 24 extra flights at the airport overnight, and trains ran from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted through the night to help people get home. In addition to seeking compensation, some - including Ryanair - had objected to paying the hotel and food bills of stranded passengers.
There were also additional overnight services from London Paddington, which serves Heathrow, with one train each to Cardiff, Bristol and Oxford. The events of the last seven days... highlight how absurd and discriminatory the EU261 regulations are towards Europe's airlines Ryanair class="" href="/2/hi/business/8621779.stm">Iceland volcano: Air passenger rights
'Too cautious' Under EU regulations, if a flight is cancelled then those passengers flying on European carriers in or out of the EU have the right to a refund or to be re-routed.
The six-day shutdown is believed to have cost the international aviation industry more than £1bn, and some airlines are objecting to paying the hotel and food bills of stranded passengers. If passengers choose to re-book, the law require carriers to cover passengers' reasonable expenses.
Earlier, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said the airline would consider all passenger requests for "reasonable receipted expenses" but the reimbursement would be limited to the original air fare paid by each passenger.
However the airline later issued a statement saying it will comply with the EU rules.
'Against the law'
Easyjet said the flight ban had cost it £50m, including paying for 15,000 hotel rooms.
Oliver Aust from the airline told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme it will compensate passengers but said that the law was "unfair".
The EC have indicated they will compensate airlines and British holiday companies in the same way that the American government compensated airlines in America after 9/11 Sir Richard Branson
"We accept it is in the legislation but the legislation is not fit for purpose - it was drafted to deal with overbooking, it was never meant to make airlines the insurer of last resort in a case of natural disaster," he said.
Ryanair's original stance had been criticised by consumer groups, who accused the airline of "breaking the law".
Some flight-only travellers with Tui - which owns Thomson - whose original flights were cancelled are also being told they would have to pay the difference if an alternative flight is more expensive.
But the official airline watchdog in the UK, the Air Transport Users Council, said passengers should not be asked to pay more money.
'Safe option'
Many airlines are seeking financial help from the UK government or European authorities.
Sir Richard Branson, who owns Virgin Atlantic, told the BBC he would expect compensation.
"The EC have indicated they will compensate airlines and British holiday companies in the same way that the American government compensated airlines in America after 9/11," he said.
He also said he did not blame the UK government for the blanket ban as it was the "safe option" but lessons would be learned and it would probably never happen again.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC the flight ban had perhaps been "too cautious" but that regulators had needed time to test the impact of the ash on aircraft safety.Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC the flight ban had perhaps been "too cautious" but that regulators had needed time to test the impact of the ash on aircraft safety.
He said: "In the face of the eruption that took place in the middle of last week, the safety regulators had to deal with the issue of tolerable levels of ash which were compatible with safe operation.He said: "In the face of the eruption that took place in the middle of last week, the safety regulators had to deal with the issue of tolerable levels of ash which were compatible with safe operation.
"Why did it take six days for the regulators to reach their conclusions? The answer is they needed a good deal of experience and testing to see what was in fact the impact of the ash.""Why did it take six days for the regulators to reach their conclusions? The answer is they needed a good deal of experience and testing to see what was in fact the impact of the ash."
Civil Aviation Authority chief executive chief executive Andrew Haines said he "made no apologies" for the length of the airspace ban, and that any independent inquiry would back his position. Civil Aviation Authority chief executive Andrew Haines said he "made no apologies" for the length of the airspace ban, and that any independent inquiry would back his position.
Under EU regulations, if a flight is cancelled then those passenger flying on European carriers in or out of the EU have the right to a refund or to be rerouted. Luxurious return
If passengers choose the latter, they have the right to suitable "care" - such as accommodation and meals - while they wait. More than 95,000 flights were cancelled across Europe in the past week, with only a handful of flights taking off and landing at UK airports.
'Absurd' rules The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull on 15 April sent vast amounts of ash into the atmosphere which poses a threat to aircraft jet engines.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary described the care rules as ludicrous. The blanket ban was lifted on Tuesday night and efforts to get tens of thousands of stranded Britons home have stepped up, with Heathrow Airport being granted permission for more night landings.
He said the airline would consider all passenger requests for "reasonable receipted expenses" but the reimbursement would be limited to the original air fare paid by each passenger. There were 24 extra flights at Heathrow overnight, and trains ran from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted through the night to help people get home.
"There is no legislation designed that says any airline getting a fare of 30 euros (£26) should be reimbursing passengers many thousands of euro for hotel accommodation. It is absurd," he said.
Ryanair's stance was criticised by Rochelle Turner of consumer publication Which? Holiday.
"The regulations are very clear in what they are allowing consumers to claim for," she told the BBC.
"You can't just turn around and say we can only pay the amount that your ticket was bought for. You just can't do that. It's not in the regulations. It's against the law."
Travel arrangements
The disruption has led to differing interpretations in the law on new flights.
Some flight-only travellers with Tui - which owns Thomson - whose original flights were cancelled are being told that they would have to pay the difference if an alternative flight the passenger chooses is more expensive.
The company told the BBC: "Tui UK and Ireland can confirm that customers who rebook to a different flight of their choice which is more expensive than their original must cover the difference themselves. Similarly, if the flight is cheaper Thomson Airways will refund the difference."
But the official airline watchdog in the UK, the Air Transport Users Council, disagrees.
"If the airline tells you that your flight is cancelled and you want a new flight rather than a refund, the date of the new flight should be at your convenience - not subject to any time limit - and you should not have to pay any more money," it said.
Jacqueline Beadle, a solicitor at Gullands in Kent, said there was nothing in the EU regulations that said people had to make up the extra cost.
However, those who have chosen a refund and rebooked themselves would have to pay the current price quoted.
Those who did not wait to be re-routed and instead made their own travel arrangements to get home have to make a claim for that cost to their airline.
If the cost is deemed unreasonable, they might not get all their money back. Equally, they might not get refunded for accommodation and food costs.
In other developments:In other developments:
• About 2,200 British tourists stranded in Spain are returning home on board a new luxury cruise ship in what is thought to be one of the largest peacetime repatriations to the UK. The £500m Celebrity Eclipse arrived in Bilbao at 0630BST on Thursday and is expected to dock in Southampton on Friday evening • About 2,200 British tourists stranded in Spain class="inlineText" href="either url here">are returning home on board a new luxury cruise ship in what is thought to be one of the largest peacetime repatriations to the UK. The £500m Celebrity Eclipse arrived in Bilbao at 0630BST on Thursday and is expected to dock in Southampton on Friday evening
• For Britons who are trying to cross the Channel, ferry company LD Lines is advising passengers to head for the ports of Dieppe and Le Havre, where they have foot passenger capacity on Thursday and over the next days • For Britons who are trying to cross the Channel, ferry company LD Lines is advising passengers to head for the ports of Dieppe and Le Havre, where they have foot passenger capacity on Thursday and over the next day
• Many airports around the UK are returning to business as usual. UK air traffic control body Nats said a volume of airline traffic "approaching 90%" was expected from 0700 BST
• Flight restrictions remain in place in and out of Orkney and the Shetland Isles.