Brits lead flight claims league

FLIGHT delay compensation claims processed by refund.me, the passenger rights legal services provider, reached record levels during for the peak summer holiday travel season June through September. 

The four-month period saw refund.me process claims for flight delays and cancellations against 151 airlines. UK passengers sought compensation from more airlines than other European passengers, lodging claims against 96 different airlines.

While the number of claims lodged against individual airlines differed from country to country, aggregate numbers show that of complaints against all airlines, 13 percent of compensation claims were directed against Spanish low-cost airline Vueling. easyJet received eight percent of all claims, followed by Ryanair (5%), Air France (3.5%), and British Airways (3%).

Vueling also attracted the highest percentage of complaints from UK passengers during the study period. Of the 96 airlines, Vueling accounted for 11 percent of all claims presented for compensation. EasyJet followed at seven percent, Ryanair at six percent, and British Airways and Norwegian tied at 5 percent.

Eve Buchner, founder and CEO of refund.me, says: ‘Our study confirms the trend for an increase in complaints over travel-intensive holiday seasons. While the data is a snapshot from the UK and selected European countries, it highlights that overall, charter and low-cost airlines consistently under-perform in comparison to scheduled carriers. Passengers endure more travel disruption and we are seeing a significant upsurge in passengers asserting their rights to compensation under EU law.’

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Dad who refused to pay school attendance fine wins court case

MAGISTRATES in England have thrown out a case against a father who was taken to court after refusing to pay a £120 fine for taking his six-year-old daughter out of school to travel to Florida. 

Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, argued that UK law required only that children attended school regularly. Isle of Wight Council said it was following government guidance and was reviewing the outcome of the case.

Mr Platt took his daughter out of school to go to Florida in April with 15 other family members, despite an absence request being rejected by the school.

‘I cannot allow a local education authority to tell me what is right for my kids; I know what is best for my kids,’ he said. He insisted his children got ‘great value and great experiences’ from the trip, with ‘no detrimental impact whatsoever’ on their education.

Having refused to pay a £120 penalty, he successfully argued that Section 444 of the Education Act required parents to ensure their children attended school ‘regularly’, and did not put restrictions on taking them on vacations in term time.

His daughter had a 93.8% attendance record in the previous academic year.

Mr Platt told the BBC: ‘There is no complex loophole. Parents have nothing to fear from local education authorities (LEAs) if their children have attended school regularly. LEAs are trying to use the legislation intended to stop truancy to stop parents taking their kids on holiday.’

The council said it took legal action based on ‘appropriate legislation, Department for Education regulations, and guidance’.

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Marrying abroad? Don’t forget these …

DESTINATION wedding experts MarryAbroad.co.uk have listed the things UK couples typically forget when planning to tie the knot overseas.

Leave enough time for the paperwork: Couples should make sure they allow plenty of time to sort out the marriage paperwork, which can take between three to six months to complete, depending on the country.

Most countries require the following legal documents:

• Passports 
• Full birth certificates showing both parents' names 
• If divorced, original final divorce papers 
• If widowed, death certificate of former spouse 
• If your bride/groom has changed their name(s), legal proof of the change 
• If marrying in a non-English speaking country, documents might need to be translated by an official translator and stamped with an Apostille. In the UK, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can legalize documents for a small fee 
• Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (required by some countries). This can be obtained from a local department of foreign affairs, registrar, or embassy in the chosen country 
• Some countries require UK legal documents to be stamped with an Apostille Stamp, which then makes them legal documents in that country 
• Certificate of Single Status/ Sworn Affidavit that you are free to marry. These are similar to a Certificate of No Impediment, but instead you have to swear you are single in front of a legal representative, i.e. a solicitor or notary 

Check and compare currencies: When choosing a destination, couples should check and compare currency exchange rates to save on costs. The pound is currently extremely strong against the euro. This in turn makes European weddings much cheaper than last year – approximately 23% cheaper in May 2015 compared to December 2014. Couples should secure quotes from a selection of foreign exchange companies to obtain the best rates to transfer money to their wedding provider … and not forget that rates will usually vary, depending on the amount of money being transferred.

Look out for free ceremonies: Caribbean and North American resorts often offer a free wedding ceremony if couples stay for a certain number of nights or bring a certain number of guests.

Send save the dates: Couples should post save-the-date cards well in advance of the wedding day if they want guests to attend an overseas wedding. The more notice given, the more likely friends and family will be able to fly. Lots of notice also gives them plenty of time to start saving for the trip.

Listen to the weatherman: When choosing a dress, brides should have the weather of the country in mind, at the particular time of year they plan to marry. A heavy wedding dress on a tropical beach might make brides look uncomfortable and overheated in the photos. Hurricane or rainy seasons might not be an ideal time of year for outdoor weddings, which is particularly true of the Caribbean and South- East Asia.

Book in maiden name: Brides who plan to take their husband’s surname (and that’s not mandatory in Britain and the US) should remember to book airline tickets in their maiden name, unless they change their name legally before they fly.

Talk to the airline: Most airlines will allow brides to bring their wedding dress as hand luggage; however brides would need to contact the airline directly prior to booking. Also, while speaking to the airline, if a family is travelling together, the whole party should ask for a group travel rate.

Don’t forget the extras: Apart from settling the balance of the actual wedding abroad, couples shouldn't forget the little extras that need to be budgeted for in the UK, such as travel and wedding insurance, getting documents translated (if required), and getting the correct documents legalised.

www.marryabroad.co.uk is a free information portal for engaged couples, providing marriage legalities, information, and advice on marrying overseas.

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