Aer Lingus to Refund Traveler After Strike Dispute

HARTFORD, Conn. — Martha Rhine, a traveler from West Hartford, recently encountered issues with Aer Lingus regarding a $7,155 business class ticket to Dublin. When a pilot strike threatened her flight, she opted for a full refund that the airline offered.

Aer Lingus refunded Rhine $6,096 but withheld $1,058, claiming that only 85 percent of the business class fare qualifies for a refund. However, under EU Regulation 261, passengers are entitled to a full refund if their flight is canceled due to a strike.

Rhine filed multiple claims, made numerous phone calls, and even sent a registered letter to the airline’s CEO seeking resolution but received no response. “Aer Lingus owes you the full refund it promised. Period,” said Christopher Elliott, founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization for consumer issues.

Elliott noted that Aer Lingus’s 85 percent policy appears to violate consumer protection laws. He emphasized that the airline should have processed the refund promptly and communicated its policies clearly before escalating the issue.

Rhine followed all necessary steps, preserving her correspondence and reaching out to company executives. However, when faced with unresponsive companies, Elliott encourages involving external advocates or agencies like the U.S. Department of Transportation or the Irish Aviation Authority.

“Filing a complaint with these agencies could have prompted Aer Lingus to fulfill its promise,” Elliott said.

A spokesperson for Aer Lingus later acknowledged the delay, stating, “Aer Lingus sincerely apologizes for the delay in processing this customer’s full refund. The outstanding amount has now been processed as a matter of priority.”

For future reference, Elliott suggests starting inquiries lower down the executive chain may yield quicker responses.