Your Rights If Your Flight Is Delayed Or Cancelled.
Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest airport, will be closed all day Friday due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation, which supplies it with power. This unexpected shutdown is causing significant travel disruption, with at least 1,300 flights cancelled.
If your journey has been affected, you may be wondering what your rights are and whether you can get your money back. Here’s what you need to know.
What Are Airlines Required to Provide?
When a flight is delayed or cancelled, airlines have a duty to take care of their passengers. This includes:
- Providing meals and refreshments
- Arranging accommodation if an overnight stay is necessary
- Booking you onto an alternative flight at no extra cost
If your airline does not arrange these services, you have the right to organise them yourself and claim the costs back later. Be sure to keep all receipts and spend only what is necessary, as advised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
RELATED: Claim compensation from a delayed or cancelled flight.
For additional losses, such as unused hotel stays, you may need to file a claim with your credit card provider if you paid by card. After that, travel insurance might cover further expenses, though coverage varies. According to analysts at Defaqto, 94% of policies include travel abandonment as standard, but only 30% cover wider travel disruption.
Can I Get a Refund or Another Flight?
Under UK law, if your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a choice between:
- A Full Refund – This includes any unused parts of your ticket. For example, if your outbound flight is cancelled, you can get a full refund for both legs of a return ticket.
- An Alternative Flight – Airlines must book you on another flight to your destination. If another airline can get you there significantly sooner or if other transportation options are available, you have the right to be placed on that alternative.
These rights apply no matter when the airline informs you about the cancellation.
Am I Entitled to Compensation?
Compensation depends on the cause of the cancellation. You are not entitled to compensation if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as:
- Fires
- Severe weather
- Strikes by airport or air traffic control staff
However, if the airline is responsible for the cancellation (e.g., mechanical issues, staffing problems), you may be eligible for compensation under UK law.
If your flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, compensation is based on the distance of your flight and the alternative flight’s timing:
- Flights under 1,500km (e.g., Glasgow to Amsterdam): up to £220 per person
- Flights between 1,500km and 3,500km (e.g., East Midlands to Marrakesh): up to £350 per person
- Flights over 3,500km (e.g., London to New York): up to £520 per person
What About Food and Accommodation?
If you are stranded at the airport or abroad due to a cancellation, airlines must provide:
- A reasonable amount of food and drink (often in the form of vouchers)
- A way to communicate (e.g., refunds for calls)
- Free accommodation if you need to stay overnight
- Transport to and from the accommodation
If your airline cannot arrange this, you can organise it yourself and claim reimbursement later—just keep your receipts.
What If My Flight Is Delayed?
You are entitled to the same assistance as for cancellations if your flight is delayed by:
- More than 2 hours for a short-haul flight
- More than 3 hours for a medium-haul flight
- More than 4 hours for a long-haul flight
If your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours, you have the right to cancel your journey and receive a full refund.
What If I Booked a Package Holiday?
If you booked a package holiday with an ABTA-registered company and your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to:
- A suitable alternative flight, or
- A full refund for your holiday.
For more details, visit ABTA’s website.
Will Airlines Cover Loss of Earnings?
No, airlines do not compensate for loss of earnings if flight delays or cancellations make you late for work.
Most travel insurance policies also do not cover loss of earnings.
RELATED: Where to Get the Cheapest Flights: Your Ultimate Guide to Budget Travel.
If you expect to be late returning to work, you must inform your employer and arrange leave—whether that be annual leave or unpaid leave. Employers are not legally required to pay for time missed due to flight delays unless stated in your contract.
Key Takeaways:
- You have the right to a refund or rebooking if your flight is cancelled.
- Airlines must provide food, accommodation, and alternative transport if needed.
- Compensation is only available if the airline is at fault.
- Extraordinary circumstances, such as a fire, do not qualify for compensation.
- Package holiday customers are entitled to a refund or alternative flight.
For further guidance, visit the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website.
