Flight delays and cancellations have taken hold of airports across the world this summer. In August, easyJet cancelled a staggering 232 flights to and from Portugal amidst a wave of cabin crew strikes. And just last week, massive queues formed outside Birmingham Airport following a cancelled flight and ‘technical issues’.
While many of these problems have now seemingly concluded, you may ask: am I entitled to compensation? Experts at Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) suggest you might be – and its readers appear to agree.
Celia, a fan of its money-saving newsletter, recently claimed she was embursed a whopping £440 after flight chaos in Barcelona. Emailing the gurus, she expressed her gratitude for their game-changing guidance, which she credits for her compensation success.
“My Heathrow to Barcelona flight was cancelled at 9pm the day before due to ‘operational constraints,” she reportedly explained. “We were put on the next flight. I used your tool, and have received an email today confirming a successful claim totalling £440 for me and my son.”
Celia gave a special nod to MSE’s Resolver compensation tool as well. Not only does this help you draft a complaint, but monitors its progress and escalates it if necessary. However, before using this, it’s important to understand what specific criteria are required to make a complaint in the first place.
And that starts with knowing what situations are relevant. For example, if the flight was cancelled less than two weeks before take-off, if staff strikes occur, or if it’s the airline’s fault, you may have a case on your hands. But stormy weather, political issues, volcanic eruptions and security concerns aren’t grounds for compensation.
Meanwhile, anyone delayed for over three hours could be due more than ‘£500 in compensation’, according to MSE. You can still claim even if your flight was years ago too.
MSE suggests that you’ll only be entitled to a refund or alternative flight if you are flying from a UK or EU airport, or if you’re onboard a UK or EU-based airline arriving in these zones. This is also the case if you’ve booked through a travel agency or tour operator. However, any flight operator or airport outside of the EU may have different regulations.
To then make a claim, you can use the Resolver tool or contact an airline directly, with each hosting different procedures for flight cancellation reimbursements.
