Flight cancellations and delays, unfortunately, seem to be happening more and more frequently, and if you’ve ever spent hours in an uncomfortable waiting room chair, you’ll know just how horrible it can be.
Sarah Findlay, travel expert at Total Travel Protection, reveals what travellers should do when their flight is cancelled or delayed.
Sarah says: “Having your flight delayed or cancelled can be incredibly frustrating and confusing as a customer. The UK has laws to protect travellers when this happens and applies to flights departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, arriving at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline and arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
If your flight has been delayed
“If your flight is delayed, the airline must ensure each passenger is looked after by providing food and drinks, access to communications and accommodation, and fare to and from the accommodation, if the delay is for an extended period of time. The airlines will usually provide vouchers, but they may be limited when there are major disruptions. In this case, you can arrange care and assistance and seek reimbursement from the airline later, but it’s important to keep receipts for all expenses.
“If your flight is delayed by three hours or more, you are entitled to compensation from the airline, however this doesn’t apply if the delay was out of their control, for example, extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and political unrest, to name a few. This is where it’s helpful to have travel insurance with natural catastrophe cover, as depending on your specific policy, you could be able to claim some compensation.
If your flight has been cancelled
“If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you a replacement flight at the earliest opportunity or a refund. The airline is required to look after each passenger by providing food and drinks, access to communications and accommodation, and fare to and from the accommodation, if you have to wait for an extended period of time for your replacement flight. You may also be entitled to compensation depending on when you were notified of the cancellation and the circumstances surrounding the delay.
If you’ve been bumped from your flight
“If you’re bumped from your flight due to it being overbooked you are also entitled to compensation, depending on the time it takes for you to arrive at your destination. This compensation starts at £110, if you arrive less than two hours later at your final destination and will need to be claimed through the airline. Alternatively, if you don’t want to fly, you can claim a refund for the flight.
Does travel insurance cover a delayed or cancelled flight?
“Travel insurance can provide cover if you, rather than the airline, need to cancel the trip for specific reasons such as illness of you or a close relative or redundancy.
Tips for surviving a delayed flight
“Waiting around at the airport, especially when it is busy with delayed and cancelled flights, can be uncomfortable. I always recommend travellers carry their phone charger in their hand luggage, along with snacks, water, medication and any extras needed to make an extended stay in the airport more comfortable.”
