Wizz Air risks paying out millions to passengers as the UK airline regulator has initiated enforcement action against the Hungarian airline due to numerous complaints over unpaid refund claims.
According to the Guardian, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Wizz Air have been in contact for months after receiving the high volume of complaints that the budget carrier has failed to compensate passengers accordingly, especially in cases of flight cancellations.
Paul Smith, the regulator’s joint interim chief executive, said it had informed Wizz Air that their passengers’ treatment over the past year was unacceptable and went on to say that airlines must meet their obligation regarding flight cancellations or delays. The regulator would not hesitate to step in if airlines fail to do so, Smith pointed out.
“Passengers have every right to expect their complaints and claims to be resolved quickly and efficiently and to be treated fairly by airlines, in line with regulations. We will continue to watch the situation closely to check that passengers receive what they are owed and that Wizz Air’s policies have improved so that consumers have a better experience if things go wrong,” he said.
In response to the CAA’s actions, Wizz Air has engaged with the regulator and has committed to changing its procedures, passenger communications, and policies. In addition, the airline has agreed to reassess claims for flight cost replacements, transfers to other airports, and covering hotel expenses.
The authority also clarified that this action will apply to claims made for flights scheduled to leave from or arrive at a UK airport after March 18, 2022, and cases from this period will be automatically checked.
Claims made before March 18 can also be reopened, but passengers must ensure those flights were no more than six years ago.
In a similar move last year, the regulator initiated a procedure against Ryanair, also denouncing the budget airline and obliged to compensate thousands of delayed passengers.
Wizz Air has faced ongoing criticism, being called the UK’s worst airline according to consumer body Which? Passengers have experienced being stranded due to flight cancellations and have also made complaints about being charged fees at the airport when they couldn’t check in due to technical issues with the airline’s website, which tended to be numerous during this period.
Data provided by the airline revealed that it welcomed 5.3 million passengers in June alone, while the total number of passengers recorded so far this year had almost reached 27 million, which is almost double the number of passengers received in 2022 when some 16 million passengers reached there.
Wondering how to claim compensation for a delayed flight?
If you believe you’re entitled to it, you’ll need to take the initiative and make a claim. Remember, no one will compensate you unless you ask for it! Luckily, you have several options for making a compensation claim, and you can choose the one that best suits your situation.
To start, try using the following online eligibility checker to see if you qualify for flight delay compensation. It’s a quick and convenient way to assess your eligibility and get the process rolling!
