UK Air Traffic Control Disruptions: Passenger Rights and Compensation Explained

Flights in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England have been affected by air traffic control issues – the second major disruption at UK airports in a few weeks.

When a flight is cancelled or delayed, passengers affected have various rights, such as a refund or an alternative flight at no extra cost. However, these can vary depending on which carrier you are flying with and from where.

Extra compensation is payable only when an airline is at fault, which is not the case with air traffic control problems.

Here's what it means for you.

Under UK law, airlines have a duty to look after you when flights are delayed or cancelled.

The reason for the delay or cancellation does not matter. So anyone affected by the air transport delays will be eligible.

That includes providing meals and accommodation, if necessary, and getting you to your destination. The airline should organise putting you on an alternative flight at no extra cost.

Additional losses, such as unused accommodation, might require a claim to a credit card provider, if that was the payment option used.

After that, a claim may need to go to your travel insurance provider, but there is no standard definition of what is covered.

It may require a close look at the details of the policy to see what is covered and in which circumstances.

Passengers are also being urged to heed travel advice from the UK government, external, as this can also affect travel insurance rights.

UK law generally applies to your flight if you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.

If your flight was coming into the UK on a non-UK or EU airline, then you should check the terms and conditions of your booking.

If your flight is covered by UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or being booked on to an alternative flight.

That's regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made.

You can get your money back for any part of the ticket you have not used.

So, if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight.

If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport, then you have a right to be booked on to that alternative transport instead.

If you are stuck abroad or at the airport because of a flight cancellation, airlines covered by UK legislation must also provide you with other assistance.

This includes the following:

a reasonable amount of food and drink (often in the form of vouchers)

a way for you to communicate (often by refunding the cost of calls)

free accommodation, if you have to stay overnight to fly the next day

transport to and from the accommodation

If your airline is unable to arrange assistance, you have the right to organise this yourself and claim back the cost later.

The Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary.

You are entitled to the same assistance as for a cancellation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours for a short-haul flight, three hours for a medium-haul, or four hours for a long-haul.

If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, you can get a full refund.

Airlines will not refund you for loss of earnings. Travel insurance policies will not usually cover loss of earnings either.

If you think you're going to be late back at work because of flight delays, you have a responsibility to let your employer know, legal experts say.

You should agree with your employer how to deal with the absence – for example, by using annual leave or taking unpaid leave.

Employers have no legal obligation to pay employees who are absent in this situation, experts say, unless it is stated in their contract.