With summer fast approaching, many of us have trips booked or are planning to organise a getaway this year.
After so much time spent at home during the coronavirus pandemic, we can't be blamed for wanting a change of scene and some sunnier climes. Hopefully, plans will go without a hitch but it's always good to be prepared in case they don't.
Unfortunately, delays and cancellations happen. These are often down to weather, technical issues, or staff sicknesses.
READ MORE: Couple told they can't get on TUI flight 25 minutes before honeymoon take-off
Earlier this week, hundreds of TUI passengers were left "stranded" in Kos after their flight to Belfast was delayed twice. The travellers finally returned home some 41 hours later than originally planned.
Passengers told Belfast Live "over 200 people" were escorted by local police back were then told to collect their luggage and taken to stay in a hotel 45 minutes away.
TUI representatives informed travellers that the replacement flight set to leave on Sunday had been cancelled, meaning passengers would have been waiting 48 hours to return home. One holidaymaker said people were "arguing and angry" at the hotel and families were left worrying that they don't have enough formula for their babies.
TUI apologised for any inconvenience caused and said customers were "entitled to compensation in line with regulations".
So what are people entitled to if their flight is delayed or cancelled? Here we take a look at passengers' rights.
All airlines operating in the UK must abide by rules set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This means your rights are the same whether you travel with TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 or another provider.
Under UK law, airlines may have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. But this depends on what caused the delay, so if it wasn’t the airline’s fault, don’t expect a pay-out.
The CAA says passengers subjected to disruptions caused by things like extreme weather or staff strikes will not eligible for compensation. Aside from this, the amount of cash you're entitled to is determined by the length of your flight.
Passengers hit with a delay of more than three hours travelling on a short-haul flight (under 1,500km - e.g. Liverpool to Paris) can expect £220 compensation. For medium-haul flights, it's £350, and for long-haul flights (over 3,500km) it's £520 - though if your delay was less than four hours this halves, to £260.
If you have been delayed for more than five hours and no longer wish to travel then you are entitled to a full refund. If you are a transfer passenger and missed your connection flight because your first flight was delayed, you are also entitled to a flight back to your original departure point.
If your flight is cancelled
Under UK law, airlines must provide you with care and assistance if your flight is cancelled. This means they must provide:
- A reasonable amount of food and drink (often provided in the form of vouchers)
- A means for you to communicate (often by refunding the cost of your calls)
- Accommodation, if you are re-routed the next day (usually in a nearby hotel)
- Transport to and from the accommodation (or your home, if you are able to return there)
The airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay lasts or what has caused it.
If your flight has been cancelled and you were given less than seven days' notice, you can claim compensation - unless your new flight departs no more than one hour before the scheduled time of your original flight AND your new flight arrives less than two hours after the scheduled time of your original flight. In this scenario, you aren't entitled to any cash.
Passengers can claim from £220 for a short-haul flight to £520 for a long-haul flight.
If your flight is cancelled, by law, the airline must let you choose between receiving a full refund and choosing an alternative flight.
If you choose a refund and are a transfer passenger, and you have already completed part of your journey, you are also entitled to a flight back to your original departure point when your connecting flight is cancelled and you decide not to continue your journey.
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight. It’s up to you whether to fly as soon as possible after the cancelled flight, or at a later date that suits you.
Although most airlines will book you onto another of their flights to the same destination, if an alternative airline is flying there significantly sooner or other suitable modes of transport are available then you may have the right to be booked onto that alternative transport instead.
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