How to claim compensation if a flights cancelled or delayed

Travelling can be stressful, especially if you get ill, lose your luggage or your flight is delayed or even cancelled.

However, if you are ever in a situation where your transport has been delayed or cancelled, you can claim compensation. 

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has shared everything you need to know if you get caught in a disruption.

How to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled or delayed

As the CAA states, if you think you "have the right to claim compensation or reimbursement, you should contact your airline or airport directly."

This is because compensation is not automatic, meaning you will need to contact your airline directly to make a claim. 

Many airlines and airports already have claim procedures you can follow, which can normally be found on their websites. 

If you are unsure how to write a claim, you can find an example via the CAA's website here. 

What are your rights during flight cancellations?

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states that airlines must provide you with care and assistance if your flight is cancelled under UK law.

This means they need to provide people with accommodation if they are re-routed to the next day, transport to and from the accommodation, a reasonable amount of food and drink (usually as vouchers) and a means for you to communicate (often by refunding the cost of your calls).

The authority adds: "The airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay lasts or what has caused it."

Flights can be delayed or cancelled for a number of reasons, including bad weather (Image: Canva) If there is major disruption, airlines are not always able to arrange care and assistance for all passengers.

In those situations, the CAA recommends organising your own accommodation and transport and claiming the cost back later.

It adds: "If you end up paying for things yourself, keep every receipt and do not spend more than is reasonable.

"Airlines are unlikely to refund you for things like luxury hotels or alcohol. Some will provide guidance on reasonable costs."

Additionally, your airline must offer you the option to receive a refund for all parts of your ticket that you have not used or choose an alternative flight for.

Am I entitled to compensation from my airline for flight delays?

According to MoneySuperMarket, you are not entitled to compensation, as it shares: "Generally speaking, you are only entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours and if it was the airline’s fault.

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"This does not include things that are outside of the airline’s control though - for example, a security risk or bad weather conditions, or in this case, a technical issue.

"While travellers can challenge the airline’s definition of extraordinary circumstances through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), it’s highly likely that an unprecedented technical outage would qualify.

"This means affected travellers should turn to their travel insurance rather than their airline."