The Sun’s Squeeze Team wins back THOUSANDS for furious Wizz Air customers after refund battle
FURIOUS passengers fobbed off by Wizz Air after delays and cancellations have won back thousands of pounds after Sun Money stepped in.
The Hungarian budget airline, which made profits of £69million for the three months to the end of June, has come under fire from the regulator over refunds.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it had seen “a high volume of complaints” about Wizz Air not paying passengers what they were owed under the rules.
Our Squeeze Team helped five readers win back more than £2,000 after cancelled or delayed flights.
Peter Kieran, 59, and his wife Angie, 50, waited nearly a year to be refunded for their axed flights home from their holiday in Cyprus last August.
The couple were stuck on the runway at Larnaca airport for two hours before they were told the flight was cancelled and passengers were ordered off the plane.
Peter, who runs a catering business, then had to pay to fly to Edinburgh, almost 300 miles from home near Lincoln, with another airline – but following a year of phone calls and emails they got nowhere.
After Sun Money intervened, Wizz Air paid them £859.
Retail manager Marta Praszczak, 39, and partner Matthew Thomas, 35, had also boarded their plane when their flight home from Gdansk in Poland was cancelled and they were told to get off the aircraft.
The couple, from Slough, Berks, had no response from Wizz Air until Sun Money got in touch.
They have now been refunded £658, covering their replacement flights.
Wizz Air also paid out £489 to passengers Suzanne McGettigan and Stefania Alixandrescu when Sun Money took up their cases.
The CAA has ordered Wizz Air to reopen old claims for cancelled flights dating back six years.
Claims going back to March 2022 will be reopened automatically, while passengers with earlier claims can ask for them to be reviewed.
The cases Wizz Air now has to reopen include those for extra costs and expenses such as hotels, transport and alternative airline tickets.
Consumer expert Scott Dixon said: “Wizz Air has consistently failed on customer service and meeting its legal obligations on consumer rights.
“Its track record is abysmal.
“I would urge consumers to be proactive.
“Make sure you claim for replacement flight costs and all costs incurred, including hotel costs and refreshments.”
A Wizz Air spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about the passengers who have experienced cancellations and delays when travelling with us.
“We are now in touch with these customers to resolve any outstanding queries.”
The airline said it has doubled its customer services staff in the last year to help manage claims.