Gatwick cancellations and delays: What happens if my flight is cancelled? What flights are eligible to claim compensation? When can an airline refuse to give compensation?

More than 15,000 easyJet passengers were hit by flight cancellations on Sunday and Monday, while NATO’s Air Defender 23 military exercise is set to delay hundreds of planes this week.

But what happens if your flight is cancelled? And how can you claim compensation if your flight is affected?

Here’s all you need to know courtesy of CasinoSource.co.uk.

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

UK flight cancellations and delays are covered by rules for compensation that range from free food and drink all the way to a full refund.

Airlines don’t make it easy to find the information, so here’s a simple breakdown.

When a flight is cancelled

Under the law, a passenger can choose from a number of options. The first option is to choose to get another flight to their destination. The airline must give the option of the earliest alternative flight. Moreover, you are entitled legally to assistance with expenditures if the alternative flight offered will cause you to be delayed by at least two hours.

Also, passengers who have already started their trip and don't want a replacement flight to get them to their destination also have a right to a flight back to the airport from which they initially departed.

Say for example there is a passenger flying from Gatwick Airport to Tenerife with a transfer in Paris. If the airline cancels the flight from Paris to Tenerife, the passenger is entitled to a flight back to their departure airport, Manchester, for free.

The second option is to get a total refund, including the cost of any flights offered by the airline but not used as part of the original reservation. The right to compensation applies when the airline cancels the flight with less than two weeks' notice or the replacement flight makes a passenger more than two hours late compared to their expected arrival time.

The lowest compensation an airline is legally obliged to offer is £110. This applies to cancelled flights which have a flight distance of 1,500 kilometres or less. Passengers can be compensated up to £520 for flights with a flight distance of over 3,500 kilometres.

When can an airline refuse to give compensation?

The airline will not pay for the cancellation of a hotel booking or any other travel reservations if the flight is cancelled for reasons beyond its control.

However, if someone has purchased comprehensive travel insurance when they made their reservation, any flight delays ought to be covered, and the travel insurance company ought to be able to reimburse them for the majority of the costs associated with cancelling the trip.

When a flight is delayed

When a flight is delayed the airline has to provide passengers with food and drink, and accommodation like a hotel if the delay is overnight. If the passengers are at the airport they could be offered a voucher for these items, and if they are not, they should ask an airline representative.

Even if an airline does not offer this on the spot, passengers should keep receipts for any costs incurred. Airlines must pay for any reasonable expenses incurred.

What flights are eligible to claim compensation?

– Any airline departing from the UK

– Any UK or EU airline arriving in the UK

– Any UK airline entering the EU

European holidays are covered by the EC 261 air passenger protection regulation. In practice, EC 261 protects you if your flight originated in an EU airport or if you were travelling to Europe on an EU airline. So, if you were flying to Spain from the UK for example, the regulation would protect you and your rights.

The CAA statistics for the first quarter of 2022 show the exact number of complaints it received under this regulation. The airline with the highest number of complaints was Ryanair, with 713 complaints. Runners-up were British Airways: 599 complaints, and easyJet: 373 complaints.

How to claim compensation from an airline

In order to claim compensation look for the airline’s contact information on its website. If it is not possible to contact the airline on the spot then a passenger should leave the airport and try to contact the airline by phone or email later.

Having the flight booking reference number and other details are a must when contacting the airline’s customer service. Airlines that refuse to give passengers compensation can be reported to the Civil Aviation Authority. Before escalating the complaint, a passenger should check if the airline is a member of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body and complain to them first.

What do you do if none of the above applies to you?

In that case, a passenger will need to contact the airline directly. Rules applying to, for example, American airlines, would differ from the ones covering UK and European flights. Many consumers also do not know about the Section 75 loophole. If a passenger paid with a credit card, under this section of the Consumer Credit Act, the card company is equally responsible for the goods and services bought. The only requirement is that the purchase is over £100.