What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

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What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
- Published
Thousands of air passengers have seen their travel plans disrupted after an air traffic control problem grounded nearly 2,000 flights across the UK.
When a flight is cancelled or delayed, passengers affected have various rights – such as a refund or be put on another flight. However, these can vary depending on which carrier you are flying with and from where.
Only when an airline is at fault - not issues such as air traffic control problems - is extra compensation payable. Here's what it means for you.
What do airlines have to offer passengers?
When flights are delayed or cancelled, UK and EU airlines, and other carriers when you are departing a UK or EU airport, have a duty to look after you.
The reason for the delay or cancellation does not matter. So anyone affected by the air transport delays will be eligible.
That includes providing meals and accommodation, if necessary, and getting you to your destination. The airline should organise putting you on an alternative flight, at no extra cost.
Additional losses, such as unused accommodation, might require a claim to a credit card provider, if that was the payment option used.
After that, a claim may need to go to your travel insurance provider. But there is no standard definition of what is covered.
It may require a close look at the details of the policy to see what is covered, and in which circumstances.
Passengers are also being urged to heed travel advice from the UK government, external, as this can also affect travel insurance rights.
If my flight is cancelled, can I get a refund or another flight?
If your flight is covered by UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or being booked on to an alternative flight.
That's regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made.
You can get your money back for any part of the ticket you have not used.
So, if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight.
If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport, then you have a right to be booked on to that alternative transport instead.
If your flight was coming into the UK on a non-UK or EU airline, then you should check the terms and conditions of your booking.
Will the airline pay for food and accommodation?
If you are stuck abroad or at the airport because of a flight cancellation, airlines covered by UK legislation must also provide you with other assistance.
This includes:
- a reasonable amount of food and drink (often in the form of vouchers)
- a way for you to communicate (often by refunding the cost of calls)
- free accommodation, if you have to stay overnight to fly the next day
- transport to and from the accommodation
If your airline is unable to arrange assistance, you have the right to organise this yourself and claim back the cost later.
The Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary.
You are entitled to the same assistance as for a cancellation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours for a short-haul flight, three hours for a medium-haul, or four hours for a long-haul.
If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, you can get a full refund.
What are my rights if I have booked a package holiday?
If you booked a package holiday with a company that is an ABTA member and your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a suitable alternative flight or a full refund.
Can I claim extra compensation for disruption?
Disruption caused by things like air traffic control issues – but also bad weather, strikes by airport staff, or conflict, or other "extraordinary circumstances" – does not entitle you to extra compensation.
However, in other circumstances, when it is considered to be the airline's fault, you have a number of rights under UK law, external.
These apply as long as you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
What you are entitled to depends on what caused the cancellation and how much notice you are given.
If your flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, you may be able to claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight you are offered.
The amount you are entitled to also depends on how far you were travelling:
- for flights under 1,500km, such as Glasgow to Amsterdam, you can claim up to £220 per person
- for flights of 1,500km to 3,500km, such as East Midlands to Marrakesh, you can claim up to £350 per person
- for flights over 3,500km, such as London to New York, you can claim up to £520 per person
What if flight delays mean I am late for work?
Airlines will not refund you for loss of earnings. Travel insurance policies will not usually cover loss of earnings either.
If you think you're going to be late back at work because of flight delays, you have a responsibility to let your employer know, legal experts say.
You should agree with your employer how to deal with the absence – for example, by using annual leave or taking unpaid leave.
Employers have no legal obligation to pay employees who are absent in this situation, experts say, unless it is stated in their contract.
Get in touch
Have your travel plans been disrupted? Share your experience.

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