Your vital holiday prep in a summer of uncertainty

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AHEAD OF FLIGHTS, DELAYS AND DRAMAS

WE all dream of a week in the sun each year – but getting there feels like hard work right now.

First, the global pandemic left everybody grounded. Then came the cost-of-living crisis, making a foreign holiday unaffordable for millions.

Even those who have booked a break can’t be sure they will actually get there, due to flight cancellations and airport delays.

Thousands have been grounded despite booking ages ago, while others have been stranded overseas, wondering when they can get home.

So what comeback do you have?

What’s behind the travel chaos?

The pandemic was a disaster for the travel industry, as demand collapsed with the world locked down by Covid.

This left previously profitable airlines on the brink of collapse, and many laid off tens of thousands of staff to reduce their losses.

Thousands more jobs in airports and aviation support also went, including baggage handlers and security personnel.

Hiring picked up after travel restrictions eased this year, but the process takes time. Many former employees had found jobs in other sectors, while new airport staff need security clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Government.

This can take up to 14 weeks in normal times, but lately has been double that amount.

Brexit restrictions have made it harder to bring in European workers to fill gaps, according to Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.

Easyjet has cancelled many flights, although British Airways and Wizz Air also had issues and the misery isn’t over yet. Flight cancellations and airport delays are expected to continue over the next few months,

The blame game has begun, with the TUC accusing the Government of failing to prepare the airline industry for the end of lockdown, while Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has accused airlines and operators of “seriously overselling flights and holidays”.

None of which helps if you are sleeping on a bench in departures rather than lounging on a beach sipping cocktails.

The only good news is you may be able get compensation. It depends on where you travel and, in some cases, the individual airline.

What you are due and how to get it

Getting compensation is not easy. The first problem is that the rules are incredibly complicated.

The second is the airlines don’t like paying out, and make claiming as slow and tricky as humanly possible. But don’t be put off.

You may get compensation if your flight departed from the UK, regardless of the airline, or arrived in the UK with a UK or EU airline. You may also claim if arriving in the EU with a UK airline. However, flights outside the EU with an overseas carrier, such as American Airlines flying from New York to LA, are not covered. So if you are delayed flying, say, from New York to Los Angeles, these rules won’t help.

How much you get will depend on how far you fly and how long you are delayed (see length of delay table, right).

It also depends on how far you are flying (see length of flight table).

So you can get £220 compensation for a three-hour delay on a short-haul flight of less 1,500km, say, from Glasgow to Amsterdam. This rises to £520 for a four-hour delay on a long-haul flight of more than 3,500 km, for example, from London to New York.

If you’re stuck waiting at the airport, the airline must also supply you with a reasonable amount of food and drink.

Airlines will often give you vouchers so you can go off and buy what you like, says James Andrews, personal finance expert at money.co.uk.

“If airline staff are too busy to do this for you, you can incur reasonable expenditure yourself and claim it back later, but luxuries like alcohol won’t be allowed. Keep receipts,” he says.

If your flight leaves the next day, they must also put you up in a hotel and provide transport to and from your accommodation, or home if it’s nearby, James adds.

If you have been delayed for more than five hours and no longer wish to travel, you are entitled to a full refund. Go directly to your airline for compensation. Search its website or call its customer services department.

“Avoid claims management firms because it’s simple to do yourself, and they’ll take a significant chunk of any compensation,” James says. There are equally complicated rules surrounding flights cancelled in advance, where you can either get a full refund, including onward or return flights from the same airline, or a replacement flight.

“If you still want to fly, the airline is obliged to get you on another flight the same day if it is commercially possible, even if it is with another airline.”

If you are put on another flight, you will still be eligible for compensation but it may be discounted by 50% if it gets you to your destination within two to four hours of your original arrival time. The cut-off varies by distance travelled.

To find out more, visit citizensadvice.org.uk or caa.co.uk.

“If your airline doesn’t play ball, complain to the CAA using its online form,” James says.

Package holidays

When booking a summer holiday many of us glance at the small print to see whether the package has got ATOL or ABTA protection. This gives

added peace of mind, yet many of us have no idea what the two main UK travel bonding schemes actually offer.

That is hardly surprising, because they have areas of overlap, while also leaving glaring holes that can only be covered in other ways.

The main point of ATOL or ABTA is to protect holidaymakers if your travel firm goes bust, either before or even worse, during your trip.

They primarily exist to protect holidaymakers whose plans are wrecked by circumstances beyond their control.

ATOL, short for Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing, is run by the

Civil Aviation Authority, and offers protection for holidays booked through a travel agent or tour company.

Any company selling a holiday that includes air travel is legally obliged to hold an ATOL licence, and it must be inspected by the CAA.

ATOL protection will cover your flights, accommodation, cruise and car hire costs. That means if your travel agent or tour operator collapses, ATOL will make sure you finish your holiday and can fly home as planned.

However, ATOL only covers trips where there is a flight involved at some point – otherwise you must go to ABTA.

ABTA, which stands for the Association of British Travel Agents, covers trips booked through one of its members where there is no air travel, such as your coach, rail or cruise holidays.

Before booking your break, you should always check whether your agent is advertising ATOL and ABTA membership on its website, paperwork, brochures or any correspondence.

And remember, the two schemes only cover holidays that have been booked through a travel agent.

They do not protect DIY holidays, where you source your own tickets and hotels.

Most travel insurance policies do not pay out if your holiday company collapses, but will expect you to seek redress either from ABTA or ATOL.

What if I booked a DIY holiday?

If you are one of the growing number of holidaymakers who arrange your trip yourself, it makes sense to pay by credit card.

If you spend between £100 and £30,000, your card issuer is equally liable for any loss under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

If your airline goes bust and you can’t get compo any other way, your card issuer should step in.

But it will only cover the cost of any services you have not received, such as the flight home. You’ll have to arrange any other flights yourself and pay from your own pocket.

If you paid on a debit card you may be able to make a chargeback claim via your bank.

PayPal users should be covered under its buyer protection scheme, provided they claim within 180 days of paying.

When booking, check the cancellation policy of any hotel or guest house. Some offer refundable bookings, others don’t.

Also check the terms and conditions of your travel insurance.

What can I claim on travel insurance?

When a flight is delayed, everything you have booked for your trip is also left up in the air.

“Many will have been planning their trip around a specific flight arriving at a set time and this can have expensive consequences for a holiday,” says Anna-Marie Duthie, travel insurance expert at Defaqto.

You could lose money on a cruise, trip or activity, especially if you booked independently rather than part of the package. Plus there’s food and accommodation costs while waiting around.

“If you miss a connecting flight with a different airline, you may be left to foot the bill yourself,” Anna-Marie says.

This is where travel insurance should kick in. But some policies will leave you high and dry, so don’t buy the cheapest policy you find online and read the small print.

They all have different policies regarding delay periods, which can vary from six hours to 24 hours.

Defaqto has an insurance rating service and all five-star policies must include cover for delay and abandonment. They must include a minimum £500 or more for missed outbound departures as well as cover delay.

They must also include cover of at least £1,000 if the holiday has to be abandoned. See its free travel insurance ratings at defaqto.com.

Travel insurance will pay if you have to cancel or curtail your plans for a host of other reasons, say, ill health or a death in the family.

“It should also cover you for medical treatment, delayed flights, lost baggage and so on,” Anna-Marie adds.

‘‘ If you miss a connecting flight, you may be left to foot the bill yourself