Holidaymakers planning to jet abroad this summer have been advised to be aware of their rights if their flight is cancelled. The caution from Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert team comes amid the ongoing problems at airports with thousands of flights cancelled.
Between October 2021 and April 2022, British Airways grounded around 30,000 flights, and easyJet cancelled a further 10,000 services between October 2021 and July 2022. Other airlines have also been forced to axe routes, including Wizz Air and TUI, reports BristolLive. Staff shortages have been blamed for the chaos, states the Liverpool Echo.
Some flights were grounded at the last-minute with passengers waiting to board aircraft and the UK Government has tried to crack down on the amount of flights being scrapped. Airlines were warned last month that, to avoid further disruption cancellations must be announced at least 14 days before the scheduled departure date to allow passengers plenty of notice to make alternative arrangements.
If a flight is cancelled 14 days before scheduled departure, passengers can request a full refund or an alternative flight, according to Money Saving Expert. However, passengers are not entitled to compensation in addition to a refund or alternative flight.
These rules apply to departures from the UK or EU on any airline, or arriving in the UK or EU, although, in the latter scenario, it must be on a UK or EU airline. Customers are legally entitled to a full cash refund for a cancelled flight, and do not have to accept vouchers as an option.
If a customer chooses to accept an alternative flight or holiday, the airline should try to arrange an alternative on the same day with a different carrier, if necessary. A reasonable sum to cover food, drink and communication costs should also be offered, in addition to accommodation and transport costs for those stuck abroad.
Compensation for flights cancelled 14 days before departure
It was the airline's fault if the flight was cancelled within 14 days of it departing - on top of being able to request an alternative route, you could also be entitled to hundreds of pounds in compensation. Staff shortages or sickness are often cited to be the reason a flight has been cancelled, but this is still deemed to be the fault of the airline, meaning you are still entitled to a refund.
The amount you are entitled to is dictated by how far you were meant to be travelling and how long the delay was if you opted to take an alternative flight. Bott and Co, a law firm which specialises in flight delay and cancellation claims, states that staff sickness, including Covid-related sickness, and airline crew strikes are not reasons for airlines not to award passengers compensation.
Coby Benson, a solicitor at Bott and Co, told Money Saving Expert: "Most staffing issues, for instance relating to crew sickness or staff on strike, are not extraordinary circumstances and the airline should therefore pay out for these."
How to make a claim
To make a claim, you can complain directly to your airline.
- For British Airways refunds and rebooking, go to Manage My Booking. For BA compensation claims, see make a claim.
- For a refund request from TUI, fill in its online form here. To make a compensation claim, use TUI's online form.
- To make a refund request with Wizz Air, login to your online account. To claim compensation from Wizz Air, follow this link and fill in the form.
With Easyjet and Ryanair, we've linked to their complaints pages, which will explain whether you need to get in touch by writing or by using online complaints forms:
