I'M AFRAID IT'S EASYJET AGAIN

EMAIL FROM GRAEME MacLEOD, HEAD OF CUSTOMER OPERATIONS

17th August 2011

Dear Mrs Cordner,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry that you remain dissatisfied with my response. I wish to assure you that I do not have a vested interest in this and have looked at your case with an impartial set of eyes.

The facts I have given you have been obtained from our reservation system which on Monday I personally looked through every single passengers booking and the associated audit logs to confirm the times that I have provided you. I can assure you that the figures I have provided you with, including the 22 passengers checking in after you and successfully boarding the flight, are accurate.

You and your party were refused travel in accordance with our carrier regulations (http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Book/regulations.html#checkin) which states :-

"8 Check-in

Check-in at the Airport

...
Please note: Whether checking in on line or at the Airport, passengers who present themselves at the boarding gate later than 30 minutes prior to scheduled time of departure will not be accepted for travel, and will forfeit their seats.Conditions of Carriage Articles 7.1 and 7.3
..."

Our airport team held the gate open as long as possible but for the sake of our other customers we do have to make a decision to close the gate in order that the aircraft can still depart in a timely manner and not inconvenience the other customers who did make it on time and the subsequent customers throughout the course of the day who will be inconvenienced by the aircraft running off-schedule.

I am sorry that this is not the outcome you are seeking, however I wish to advise that this is our final position in this matter and we will not be offering to reimburse your additional costs.

Yours Sincerely

Graeme MacLeod
Head of Customer Operations


MY REPLY

Regarding the 22 passengers that checked in after us who you claim boarded the plane:

How many of them paid extra to fast track through security? In the general melee of transporting young children through the airport I missed displayed signage (if any) that this was an option. We were told that it would take approximately 15/20 minutes to clear security due to high passenger levels, but no mention was made of the fast track facility.

If, as you said, we had checked in at 06.22 and 6.24 (incidentally, why 6.22 AND 6.24?) the 15/20 minutes to clear security would have rung alarm bells and at that point I would have alerted the staff to our predicament. I didn’t because we looked at our watches and had, in our judgment, ample time, not knowing that we would then be subjected to a line change and a random liquid test!

Regarding the gate closure time (which, incidentally, is going over old ground again)

You have quoted your carrier regulations, “Whether checking in on line or at the Airport, passengers who present themselves at the boarding gate later than 30 minutes prior to scheduled time of departure will not be accepted for travel, and will forfeit their seats. Conditions of Carriage Articles 7.1 and 7.3” whereas I have already pointed out in my email to Mary Maguire that the terms and conditions printed on the reverse of the Letter of Confirmation printed off at the airport that morning state “Passengers who present themselves at the boarding gate later than 25 minutes before the scheduled time of departure will not be accepted for travel”. You can’t have it both ways.

Regarding re-imbursement (going over old ground again)

I have repeatedly stated that I am not asking for re-imbursement, see my emails to Jennifer Hogan and Mary Maguire. This proves to me that you didn’t pay attention to any of my previous correspondence.

Regarding the pushchair issue (going over old ground again)

You also said that the “airport management team” are not aware that the airport has a policy to move passengers with pushchairs to a different security line although your Customer Service Supervisor, Carrie-Louise Hughes had already said that we were moved to another lane because of a “refit in the security check area”. You also cite the fact that two families with infants checked in after us. Again, did they “fast track”? Was this the reason they reached the gate before us?

I know FOR A FACT that the other family who checked in alongside us were moved to another lane because of their pushchair. This family, Alexandra Wright, her two children, mother-in-law, sister, brother-in-law and their infant child also arrived at the gate in time but were denied access. She tells me that she has written three letters to easyJet and, as yet, received no replies.

Regarding the number of passengers denied access

You have totally disregarded my query about the number denied boarding that morning which both Ms Wright and I know was 19 and yet you say was 18.

Why am I getting the feeling that this is a complete white wash?