While the problem has been fixed, experts say the knock-on disruption to airline schedules will last for several days.
asserted
disruption → fix → days
What if my flight is delayed?
asserted
flight → delay → ?
According to ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents), If your flight is delayed by under two hours, you have no rights - unless a short delay in the UK results in a missed connection and much later arrival at your final destination.
uncertain
delay → accord → destination
For flights up to 1,500km, refreshments should be given after two hours, while mid-haul passengers (1,500 to 3,500km) are entitled after three hours.
asserted
passengers → give → hours
If the airline believes that providing the care would further delay the flight, it need not deliver.
asserted
it → believe → flight
Read More
For overnight delays, airlines are obliged to find and pay for a hotel room.
asserted
airlines → read → room
Carriers often invite passengers to book their own and reclaim later.
asserted
Carriers → invite → own
While not fully compliant with the rules, aviation authorities usually turn a blind eye.
asserted
authorities → turn → eye
If your delay exceeds five hours, your airline must offer you the choice of taking a refund of the flight cost.
asserted
airline → exceed → cost
Regarding compensation, this will depend on what caused the delay.
asserted
what → regard → delay
If it wasn’t the airline’s fault, such as with Tuesday’s air traffic control systems failure, you won’t be entitled to receive any compensation.
asserted
you → entitle → compensation
If you reach your final destination three hours or more after the original arrival time, and it wasn’t due to extraordinary circumstances, then you’re generally entitled to compensation, awarded in pounds or euros depending on where your flight was due to depart from.
asserted
flight → reach → pounds
This would be £220 for flights of up to 1,500 km, £350 for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and £260 for all other flights (increased to £520 if the delay is longer than 4 hours).
asserted
delay → increase → hours
If the delay leads to your holiday being cancelled, or new arrangements are made that result in a significant change to your holiday, then your travel company must offer an alternative holiday if they can, or a refund of the full package price, not just the flight part.
asserted
they → lead → price
Generally, a change of more than 12 hours on a 14-night holiday is considered a significant change.
asserted
change → consider → holiday
What if my flight is cancelled?
asserted
flight → cancel → ?
According to ABTA, passengers have “significant rights in relation to replacement flights, refunds and general customer care”.
uncertain
passengers → accord → flights
If a flight is cancelled for a departure from the UK, or for a journey to the UK with a UK airline, then the airline must offer passengers the choice of a replacement flight at the earliest opportunity or a refund.
asserted
airline → cancel → opportunity
If you were at the airport when your flight was cancelled, and you’ve chosen rerouting, you’re also entitled to care and assistance while you wait to be rerouted.
asserted
you → cancel → care
Your airline may advise you to make alternative travel arrangements, and then claim back the cost later.
uncertain
airline → advise → cost
If you do this, again, keep receipts noting that costs should be reasonable and alcohol will not be included.
asserted
alcohol → do → receipts
If your airline offers a flight to an alternative arrival airport, they must bear the cost of transferring you to the original airport or to another close-by destination agreed with you.
asserted
they → offer → you
If you choose a refund, you can get your money back for all parts of the ticket you haven’t used.
asserted
you → choose → ticket
For instance, if you’ve booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket back from your airline.
asserted
you → book → airline
Regarding compensation, this will depend on what caused the delay.
asserted
what → regard → delay
If it wasn’t the airline’s fault, such as with Tuesday’s air traffic control systems failure, you won’t be entitled to receive any compensation.
asserted
you → entitle → compensation
If the airline gave you more than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation, they are not obliged to pay you compensation.
asserted
they → give → compensation
If you received less than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation, then you’re generally entitled to compensation, awarded in pounds or euros depending on where your flight was due to depart from.
asserted
flight → receive → pounds
Regarding package holidays, you benefit from all the above rights as well as additional rights regarding the rest of your holiday.
asserted
you → regard → holiday
Normally your travel company will contact you in advance to re-arrange your flights, however, if you’re at the airport when the flight is cancelled you should contact your travel company to talk through your options.
asserted
you → contact → options
If your flight can’t be rearranged and your holiday has to be cancelled, or new arrangements are made that result in a significant change to your holiday, then the travel company must offer an alternative holiday if they can, or a refund of the full package price, not just the flight part.
asserted
they → rearrange → price
Generally, a change of more than 12 hours on a 14-night holiday is considered a significant change.
asserted
change → consider → holiday
What if I’m travelling back to the UK?
asserted
I → travel → UK
Passengers flying back to the UK with a non-UK airline will need to check the terms and conditions of their booking to see what they’re entitled to.
asserted
they → fly → what
UK consumer laws apply to passengers on flights departing from an airport in the UK (on any airline), flights arriving at an airport in the UK (on an EU or UK airline) and flights arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
asserted
laws → apply → airline
They do not cover flights arriving in the UK on a non-EU or UK airline.
asserted
They → cover → airline
Grant Winter, compliance officer at specialist travel insurance provider, Good to go, said: “When you book flights with an airline, you’re essentially entering a contract that means they are required to get you to a certain destination, at an agreed time.
asserted
they → go → time
“If they’re unable to follow through with their end, they have a legal duty under UK law, to offer you a full refund or provide an alternative flight.”
asserted
they → ’re → flight
The Aporia
