Holidaymakers have been warned that they won’t be eligible for compensation if their trips are cancelled or delayed due to strikes, as multiple forms of industrial action threaten to disrupt flights, trains and London Underground services in the first week of the school summer holidays.
Last week air traffic control managers in mainland Europe gave formal warning of strikes in the next six months, potentially exacerbating disruption to thousands of holiday flights, including those to and from the UK. The date of the walkout has not been announced, but it is likely to be timed to cause maximum impact during the summer holiday period.
Britons are already facing travel chaos this month with rail strikes planned on 20, 22 and 29 July – the beginning of the school holidays for most families – and London Underground strikes announced for 23 to 28 July. All of this comes at the start of what one travel expert described as potentially “one of the busiest summers in recent history”.
Holidaymakers whose trips are disrupted might imagine they will be compensated if their flight is cancelled due to strike action – but they won’t be.
Industrial action is considered to be an “extraordinary circumstance”, meaning that airlines aren’t liable to pay compensation, as it’s an issue outside of their control.
“If it is not the fault of the airline – and cancellations due to air traffic controller strikes would fall into this category – then the airline is not obliged to provide compensation if it can prove it has done everything possible to make alternative arrangements,” said Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor.
However, in the case of severe flight delays, airlines still have a duty to look after passengers, which could include free refreshments or accommodation. Airlines should also offer passengers the opportunity to either be refunded for a cancelled flight or rerouted, even if that is with a rival carrier.
The rules are different for those who have booked a package holiday or through a travel agent, as they should have protection under rules set by the travel agent and travel operator industry bodies.
Holidaymakers are being warned to check now whether they could claim on their travel insurance in the event of disruption to their holiday plans due to strikes.
“Most policies provide payments if your flight is delayed by a certain length of time – this can help with out-of-pocket expenses,” said Pratt. “But claiming for the cost of the cancelled flight and the holiday itself is another matter – you’d need to scrutinise your policy documents to see what level of cover you have.”
One key point is that the cancellation must be unforeseen and unexpected at the point you bought your policy, he added. So buying any insurance now to cover strikes will be useless. This applies even if the exact dates have not been confirmed.
“This summer is set to be one of the busiest in recent history, and it’s essential that airlines and airports work together to keep travellers updated of any potential issues,” said Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel.
“While compensation is not likely to be payable in these circumstances, airlines must fulfil their legal obligations to passengers in the event of cancellations or delays.
“Make sure you have travel insurance from the date you book your holiday and check the policy carefully to ensure it covers you in the event of strike action.”
