British man sends bailiffs to airport for Wizz Air refund

The Hungarian low-cost airline does not have the best reputation at the moment. Despite its best intentions, Wizz Air is one of the worst airlines regarding communication, delays and flight cancellations. Last month, it was even chosen as the worst airline for short flights in the United Kingdom. Now, a British man got tired of Wizz Air’s practices: he sent bailiffs to Luton Airport because of a last-minute flight cancellation.

A British man, Russell Quirk sent bailiffs to the airport because the Hungarian airline owed him money over a last-minute flight cancellation, the BBC reports. He said that because of the short notice, he was forced to look for another alternative, which cost him no less than GBP 4500.

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Mr Quirk tried to settle the matter in a peaceful way. However, after months of waiting, he saw no other option but to bring it to court. The man “had booked flights from Luton Airport to Faro in January last year for a family holiday with his wife and three daughters in the May half-term,” the BBC reports. On the morning of the day of the flight, he received a message from Wizz Air, saying that the flight had been cancelled.

The message from the airline contained no explanation, no alternatives were offered. The man and his family already had accommodation booked. On top of that, even further travel arrangements had been made. Because of this, Mr Quirk had no option but to look for another flight that would take them to their desired destination, Portugal, in time. This cost him an additional GBP 4500.

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He took this case to court shortly after. However, according to him, Wizz Air ignored the judgement that was made against them by the court. So, as a last resort, he sent bailiffs to the airline’s desk at Luton Airport to settle the case. “Their option was to hand over the money or the bailiffs would take it in goods – it might have been chairs, tables, computers or an aircraft,” Mr Quirk told the BBC.

Even though he said he would have liked an airplane at home, eventually, the Hungarian airline did pay him and his family. “Increasingly, businesses are thinking they can treat customers like dirt and I’m determined to eradicate that. My message is, where big companies stonewall you, if you persevere, you can get what is owed to you,” the man said about his experience.