A travel expert says passengers are losing out on hundreds of pounds they could be claiming from airlines. The increased travel activity over summer often sees flights delayed or even cancelled, which can mean compensation is due for the inconvenience.
Coby Benson, Flight Delay Compensation Solicitor at specialists Bott and Co said: “Delayed flights can put a real downer on the summer holiday we have been looking forward to all year.
“Too many people don’t know their rights if airlines push back the departure time, or how they could be entitled to hundreds of pounds in compensation.
“Impacted passengers can claim up to £520 if the delay time is more than three hours, but too many people are either unaware of this rule or don’t complete the compensation process.
“This could be because the forms are too lengthy or complicated, or they are too difficult to find. You can always check with a flight compensation specialist to discover if you may be due a payout to make up for having to put up with the inconvenience during your well-earned break.”
More than a third of all UK flights were delayed in 2022, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. It can often lead to a great deal of annoyance for passengers, and even result in missing connecting flights to their final destinations.
Some experts point the finger at the fact airports shed large numbers of staff during the Covid-19 pandemic and have struggled to adequately replace them since. Under the EU261 rule, passengers on flights shorter than 1,500 kilometres can claim £220 for delays of more than three hours.
This can rise to up to £520 if the problem is not what is deemed as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, and the flight is more than 3,500km and four hours late. Examples of extraordinary circumstances can include a strike unrelated to the airline, such as baggage handlers, unsafe weather conditions or acts of terrorism or sabotage.
Passengers are not entitled to money if their flight arrives less than three hours late. However, delays of between two and four hours mean airlines have a duty of care to passengers that should include food and drink vouchers.
Overnight delays mean passengers must be provided with adequate accommodation, as well as transport to and from the airport. The Government had been exploring plans to introduce compensation for domestic travellers for delays of one hour, but these have now been shelved.
However, it will become easier for passengers to resolve complaints without going to court as airlines will be forced to sign up to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. And the Civil Aviation Authority is set to be given new powers to fine airlines for breaches of consumer law.
Botts and Co has helped more than 634,000 passengers claim £76 million in delayed flight compensation since being founded in 2001.
For more information, visit https://www.bottonline.co.uk/
