Delays and Cancellations

No-one wants to be delayed - but if you are, you might be able to claim compensation.

This is all driven by the law in your own country so it is very difficult to provide definitive information for every traveller. Given we are United Kingdom based we are going to look at what is covered from a UK perspective. Many countries will be broadly the same but you will need to check. The plus side is that many airports and many airlines have up-to-date information about this.

Our source for the United Kingdom is the CAA - Civil Aviation Authority. Do remember that even if you aren't covered under the following criteria, you may be covered by the laws of another country. It's always worth checking.

Which flights?

United Kingdom law covers

• flights departing from the UK with any airline

• flights arriving in the UK from an EU or UK airline

• flights arriving in the EU on a UK airline

Delays

The first aspect is how long is considered a delay

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - more than two hours

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - more than three hours

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - more than four hours

If you are delayed the airline must provide

• a reasonable amount of food and drink (vouchers permitted)

• a means for you to communicate (e.g. refunding any costs for calls)

• accommodation if re-routed the next day (usually a nearby hotel)

• transport to and from the hotel (or your home if you can return there)

The law states the airline must provide the above until it can fly you to your destination, no matter the delay or the cause.

If the delay is part of something larger scale you may find airlines are overwhelmed. In that situation, the CAA states you have the right to organise reasonable care yourself. You should keep receipts and not spend more than is reasonable. The airline is then bound to respond to any claim in a reasonable time.

There's a lot of use of the word reasonable - and that is obviously open to some interpretation.

Compensation

Under UK law airlines may have to provide compensation for flights arriving at your destination more than three hours late. It comes down to why you were delayed - if it is the airline's fault, compensation is probably due.

That means lots of things that are not the airline's fault are not compensated - extreme weather, airport, air traffic control strikes, and similar extraordinary events are examples.

The length of flight determines the compensation.

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - £220

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - £350

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - £260 if under four hours delay, £520 if over four hours delay

Rearranged flights

If you are delayed, or your flight is cancelled, the airline should advise when you can fly. If the delay is more than five hours you can opt for a refund.

If you are a transfer passenger and miss the connection, you are also entitled to a flight back to the first departure point.

Note, if you take a refund, or decide to take a flight other than the next available, the airline no longer needs to provide you with refreshments or accommodation.

Do note that if you choose to not fly when the flight is connected to a holiday, your holiday costs will probably not be covered.

Should you choose to fly on a later flight then the airline must get you there, all the time providing refreshments, accommodation, and access to communication.

Bumping

This is when you are moved to a new flight.

If you volunteer, then it is up to you to come to an agreement - normally airlines will offer a flight voucher or similar incentive.

If it is forced onto you then it comes back to flight length as a starting point.

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - more than two hours late at destination £220, under two hours late £110

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - more than three hours late at destination £350, under three hours late £175

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - more than four hours late at destination £520, under four hours late £260

Whether volunteering or not for a bump, you have two choices.

• an alternative flight as soon as possible or a later date. For the former the refreshments and accommodation parts from Delays apply and in this case regardless of the cause

• receive a refund for all unused parts (if bumped from an outbound flight this would mean a refund for the outbound and return legs)

Cancellations

There are a lot of variables around cancellations where the passenger then travels later on the same day and it is all linked to the length of delay and the length of the flight, in a broadly similar way to the Bumping values, and then varied by the amount of notice you have received.

14 days notice

• no compensation

7-14 days notice

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - more than two hours late at destination £220, under two hours late £110

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - more than three hours late at destination £350, under three hours late £175

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - more than four hours late at destination £520, under four hours late £260

Under 7 days notice

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - more than two hours late at destination £220

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - more than three hours late at destination £350

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - more than four hours late at destination £520, under four hours late £260

For cancellations, you have two choices, similar to the Bumps section.

• an alternative flight as soon as possible or a later date

• receive a refund for all unused parts (if cancelled from an outbound flight this would mean a refund for the outbound and return legs)

Downgrades

If this happens, again can claim compensation based on flight length.

• short-haul under 1500km/937miles - 30% of the original flight price

• medium-haul 1500-3500km/937-2187 miles - 50% of the original flight price

• long-haul over 3500km/2187 miles - 70% of the original flight price

Conclusion

This is an area that can get very complicated and it is advisable to check the CAA website if you are unlucky enough to experience any of these issues. Compensation is not automatic (although airlines may initiate it).

Our personal experiences in the last few years are as follows.

• 0530 outbound flight cancelled at 0100 - email received explaining we would receive the correct compensation within two weeks. It arrived on day 13. (airline A)

• flight cancelled 15 days before departure during CoVid, voucher offered two months later for full amount. (airline A)

• flight cancelled 90 days before departure during CoVid, full refund plus extra payment paid within 7 days. (airline B)

• flight cancelled 60 days before departure during CoVid, voucher for full cost sent in 5 days. (airline C)

• all flights with delays have managed to leave prior to the official delay parameters have been met (those days when you see all flights from an airline getting delayed on the departure boards).

The CAA website section that is relevant is https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/

If your flight isn't covered by United Kingdom law do check with your airline, the airport, or the relevant authority in the country of travel.