Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Flight cancellations: what are your rights, from refunds to missed work?

Flight cancellations: what are your rights, from refunds to missed work?

Your rights if you are one of the thousands of people caught up in recent travel chaos

Thousands of Britons are stuck abroad after about 200 flights were cancelled over the weekend, including 80 by easyJet on Sunday. But what are your rights if you are one of those affected?

What if I have to stay the night?


If your return journey is cancelled you should contact the airline to find the next available flight. You have the right to choose between being refunded or rerouted on a new flight, either with the same airline or a different carrier.

The airline is supposed to give you the chance to fly home on the same day, but if the departure is on a later date the carrier should help you find accommodation and cover the cost. It should also pay for expenses such as food, drinks and hotel transfers.

Am I entitled to any other compensation?


You can claim compensation if the flight was cancelled fewer than 14 days before departure. How much depends on the type of flight, on whether you take a refund or have the airline arrange a return trip, and on how much later your new departure and arrival are than your original plan.

You can get up to £220 for flights of less than 1,500km, up to £350 for journeys between 1,500km and 3,500km and a maximum of £520 for long-haul flights above 3,500km, according to Citizens Advice. Contact your airline for the full rules and to make a claim.

Jan-Frederik Arnold, the chief executive of Flightright, said: “You are entitled to compensation independently of the refund and hotel and dinner and so on. Airlines sometimes try to only accept one or the other because consumers don’t know their rights.”

If you are forced to buy a new flight with a rival carrier, you can claim the cost of the replacement ticket. If your original flight was more expensive, however, you would be better off requesting a full refund.

What if the airline doesn’t offer to pay?


If there is nobody to discuss compensation with – for example, if there is no one at the desk at the airport – you can make a claim later. Keep receipts for all the extra expenses you incur, including accommodation, food, drink and hotel transfers.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines are unlikely to reimburse you for luxury hotels or alcohol, so keep your spending to a reasonable limit.

What if my flight was part of a package holiday?


In this case, your accommodation, food and transfer costs should be covered by the tour operator rather than the airline. Get in touch with the company as soon as possible. If you can’t contact them you should keep a record of additional costs to claim a refund.

What if I’m due to return to work?


Let your employer know as soon as possible if flight cancellations mean you will be unable to make it to your next shift. You may be able to take an extra day of annual leave or work remotely to avoid missing out on pay.

Shazia Shah, an employment lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, says: “Those that have access to the work systems might be able to work from abroad but care is required to ensure no rules are breached, for example, in terms of tax or social security.

“Another option is to negotiate a compromise such as unpaid leave, or asking to make up the time later in order to not lose any pay.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
×