British Airways and Easyjet have both been hit by the recent surge in Covid cases, with both airlines being forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to high levels of illness among their staff.
The disruption saw Easyjet ground dozens of their services over the weekend, while latest reports suggest 115 British Airways flights have been affected so far.
And it couldn’t have come at a worse time as the airlines get set for a bumper few weeks, with foreign travel on the cards over Easter for the first time since 2019.
Having your flight cancelled or delayed can cause a lot of inconvenience, of course – but what are your rights if your plane is grounded or doesn’t take off on time?
If a flight you have booked is cancelled, you have a number of different options available to you.
The Citizens Advice Bureau states that in the event you are entitled to a refund – not only for your flight but also for any others you won’t use in the same booking, such as onward or return flights.
You are also entitled to a replacement flight to reach your destination, or a flight back to the airport you came from if you are part of the way through the journey when the delay happens.
The airline also has a legal requirement to help you with essentials in the event you have to wait for a replacement flight, including booking you a hotel room and supplying food, drink and access to emails and phone calls if you need them.
However, different airlines also have different policies regarding what you can claim, and you should check the website of the airline you are flying with to see what you might be entitled to.
British Airways’ website states that you can claim a refund in the event of a cancellation, with more details available on their site.
Easyjet says you can either switch to another flight for free, request a refund or claim a voucher for the value of your booking, which is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
If you’ve booked your flight through a tour operator, you should contact them directly to discuss your options.
‘You have a legal right to help with costs if the cancellation delays you two or more hours, explains Michael Foote of Quotegoat.com.
‘You’re also entitled to financial compensation if you’re delayed two or more hours by the replacement flight offered and you were given less than two weeks’ notice.
‘If your flight is cancelled less than seven days before departure you may be able to claim between £110 – £520 compensation depending on the distance of your flight.’
What you are entitled to if your flight is delayed largely depends on the length of the delay, the distance of the flight and the countries it is flying between.
It also depends on the circumstances leading to the delay – if it was the fault of the airline due to overbooking or a technical problem, you will be entitled to compensation.
However you’re unlikely to get any sort of reimbursement for a problem beyond the control of the airline – such as severe weather conditions or a security risk.
According to the Citizens Advice Bureau, these are the minimum delays for which you can claim:
Here’s how much financial compensation you can claim in the event of a delay:
If your flight is delayed by more than five hours you are not obliged to take it, and can legally claim for a refund, both for your flight, and any others you may not take such as onward or return flights.
You are also entitled to a flight back to the airport you came from if you are part of the way through the journey when the delay happens.
Once again what you might be offered by your airline during the delay will vary according to who you are flying with – but most will offer you food and drink vouchers or reimburse receipts for meals and drinks within reason (for example you may not be able to claim back for alcohol).
If the delay is more than five hours, they should also assist you in rebooking your flight, should you decide to.
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