SMITH SLAMS FLYWHOOSH FOR WITHHOLDING REFUNDS

8.08.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

Following the story about the St Andrews man who is still waiting for a refund from defunct airline FlyWhoosh, Iain Smith MSP revealed that he was approached by another constituent three months ago, also looking for money back for a flight that was cancelled. Mr Smith explained, 'I contacted the parent company, White Eagle Aviation in Poland, and also Dundee City Council Trading Standards, as the council had an interest in the airline's operations. Unfortunately I have still to receive a reply from Warsaw, but Dundee trading standards did advise that passengers should seek redress under equal liability provisions from their credit card issuer under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Debit card issuers are not under the same obligations but apparently some have refunded customers as a gesture of goodwill when applied to.

It is intolerable that passengers are still waiting for a refund for flights that never took off over six months ago. I will be continuing to pursue the matter.'

ENDS