Where you stand on disruption is plane and simple
TRAVELLERS faced repeated delays and cancellations at the airports last year, after which British Airways and other airlines promised 2023 would be far smoother. Five months in, and tens of thousands of BA passengers have already experienced chaos over the weekend that was expected to boast the most departures from UK airports since December 2019. So if you were affected by last week’s travel chaos here’s what you need to know:
WHAT HAPPENED?
British Airways suffered a major IT failure ahead of the half-term holidays. The airline insisted the “technical issue” was resolved on Thursday night but this was not the end of the chaos, as the disruption continued throughout the weekend due to the knock-on effect of aircraft and crew being in the wrong places.
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
For those whose flights were cancelled, BA should have offered you a refund or an alternative flight. If you chose the former, you’ll be entitled to your money back for all parts of the ticket you haven’t used.
So, if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg was cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket from your airline.
If you chose an alternative flight, BA should not only have looked at what alternative flights it had available, but also what was available with other carriers and other modes of transport.
If you chose an alternative flight or mode of transport, or if your flight was delayed, BA should have provided you with care and assistance, in the form of a reasonable amount of food and drink (often provided in the form of vouchers); a means for you to communicate (typically facilitating a phone call or refunding the costs of calls); accommodation, if your alternative flight did not leave until the next day; and transport to and from the accommodation
In such circumstances, the airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay or what has caused it.
However, sometimes it will ask you to pay for everything in the first instance and will then provide you with a refund.
COMPENSATION
The right to compensation is triggered when the flight is cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice prior to the date of departure.
If your flight was delayed, you will be entitled to compensation if you arrived at your final destination three or more hours late.
Finally, I should say, airlines can avoid paying compensation when the cause of the cancellation or delay is out of their control – referred to as “extraordinary circumstances”. Last week’s IT glitch does not fall within this.