Heathrow disruptions – here is what you should do if your flight has been cancelled

On 13 September, environmental campaigners plan to fly drones near Heathrow Airport in a bid to ground planes. It means that flights into or from Heathrow may be cancelled or re-directed, leaving thousands of travellers potentially stranded and unable to get to their destinations.

So what should travellers planning to fly on the 13^th do? Will they have to book a separate and potentially more expensive flight? If you booked your flights and accommodation separately, can you get a refund if you can’t make it to the location? And what compensation can you claim for the cancellations?

Fiona Macrae, from the consumer awareness initiative, travelinsuranceexplained.co.uk gives advice on what you can expect from your travel insurance if you are affected by the environmental campaign.

What should you do if your flight is delayed?

Passengers should check their travel insurance policy to see if they are entitled to any compensation in the event of a delayed flight. Most travel insurance companies will pay some form of compensation for delayed flights, provided you have already checked in. While terms and conditions will differ between policies, most will generally pay a set amount of compensation (usually around £10.00 per hour) for each 12-hour block you are delayed, up to a maximum amount. However, there are some policies that pay out after 6-hours and offer a higher cap, so make sure you check with your insurance provider.

It is unlikely passengers will be able to claim compensation from the airline for a delayed flight due to this event being classed as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ – something that is outside of the airlines control. However, if the delay is announced once you have passed through check-in, the airline may provide refreshments and overnight accommodation, if necessary.

What should you do if your flight is cancelled?

The first thing passengers should do if their flight has been cancelled is to contact their airline. Airlines have a duty of care to rebook passengers on the next available flight and provide overnight accommodation if necessary. However, under Civil Aviation Authority regulations, incidents which are not directly related to the airline – such as extreme weather conditions or drones grounding planes – are classed as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ and the airline does not have to provide any compensation.

What can you do if you have incurred additional costs due to the flight cancellation?

Passengers are reminded that travel insurance policies do not cover the cost of a replacement flight if it has been cancelled by the airline.

Similarly, any additional costs would not be covered, such as staying in a hotel overnight for the next available flight as this expense sits with the airline.

What if I want to cancel my holiday?

If you are unable to make alternative travel arrangements, you may wish to cancel your holiday altogether. However, you should be aware that most travel insurance policies only cover cancellation due to specified reasons. If you have a travel insurance policy which offers cancellation cover for ‘any cause beyond your control’ or something happened ‘which you could not have been expected to foresee or avoid’ you may be able to cancel your holiday and claim back any pre-paid expenses, such as excursions, car hire costs or accommodation fees that you cannot get back from anywhere else.

Some travel insurance policies will also offer a ‘travel abandonment’ option. If you are delayed for 24 hours or longer or you are not offered alternative transport within 24 hours you will be covered to cancel your holiday.

What if I don’t want to cancel my holiday, but just arrive a day or so late, would I be able to claim for the lost days I’ve paid for accommodation and car hire etc?

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to claim for any lost days, however you may be able to contact the accommodation or car hire provider and explain the situation to them. Most hotels and car rental companies allow you to reserve the accommodation or vehicle, and then you pay for the time actually used when you check out or collect the vehicle. If you made a booking through an online booking company, they may be able to provide help and assistance as well.

What if I’m stuck abroad due to the flight cancellations?

Passengers whose flights are cancelled while on holiday are entitled to hotels and meals until the airline can get them home, but there could be other expenses to be paid because of your delay, such as parking fees or kennel costs, and these not generally covered by travel insurance.

However, if your policy has a section called ‘if you incur additional expenses due to a delay returning to your home country’ you may be able to claim for these additional costs, so always check the details of your policy.