Thousands waiting for plane refunds

OMBUDSMAN RECEIVES 10,000 COMPLAINTS FROM PASSENGERS - AND ONLY 12 CASES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED SO FAR. MORE than 10,000 people have complained to France's air travel ombudsman about

airlines failing to provide a refund for the ash cloud disruption - and only 12 cases have been settled so far. Mediator Thierry Baudier told _Le Parisien_ that the free service was dealing

with a very high volume of phone calls and letters from passengers. The ombudsman has received 10,000 calls and about 1,000 letters - however in many cases the regulator is unable to act

immediately because the delay for getting a reply from the airline has not yet passed. About half of the complaints made so far are from passengers who were stranded overseas and claim they

were not properly looked after by their airline. Consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has signed a deal with the main French tour operators and airlines about what they will - and will not - pay

stranded passengers. If your flight was cancelled, you have a right under EU law to a full refund. If you chose to be booked on to a later flight, the airline has a duty to pay for food and

accommodation. Anyone whose package holiday was cancelled before the departure date can reschedule with their tour operator and pick an alternative date - and destination - within the next

12 months. The air travel mediator can be contacted on 0800 000 402 (free from a landline) during normal office hours or you can lodge an online complaint at this website. RELATED STORIES:

Mediator for air payout complaints Air refund deal signed