With holiday season in full swing, it's an exciting time if you're one of the millions of Brits still set to jet off this summer - but unfortunately, even the most meticulously organised trips don't always go to plan.
Flight delays and cancellations can cause significant disruption to your trip, and while it's never a pleasant experience to get stuck at the airport or even face having to go back home with your suitcases, it's worth knowing what your airline owes you when it comes to compensation for a delay or cancellation. However, you also need to watch out for scammers attempting to capitalise on your travel woes.
Tomas Vaišvila, CEO of Skycop and flight compensation expert, said: "Amongst the chaos, fraudsters are taking advantage of travellers by impersonating airline customer services by sending email, text messages or calling, offering help following the outage in exchange for personal information. To spot anything fraudulent, you must be aware that airlines do not reach out to you in this way."
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He added: "A message will most likely be sent to you through your personal account via the official website or the app. Therefore, if you do receive anything from these companies, go straight to the legitimate website and check if you have an alert there. If you do not, this is often an indication of a scam."
For those who booked flights and are looking to claim compensation following disruption to your journey, whether for a delay or cancellation, Tomas advises starting the process as soon as possible. "If you are already at the airport, you can visit the customer service desk and begin the process," he explained.
"It is important to know that not only can you get compensation for the price of the airfare itself, but most airlines also offer meal vouchers and hotel accommodations for customers. All major airlines offer meal vouchers when cancellation results in passengers waiting for three hours or more for a flight, and most offer complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation."
When contacting your travel company to talk through your options if your trip is delayed, it's also worth knowing that you are entitled to be able to choose not to travel and get a full refund on your ticket if the delay lasts more than five hours. And when it comes to package holidays, if your whole holiday must be cancelled because a flight cannot be rearranged, your travel company must offer an alternative holiday if possible, or a refund of the full package price, not just the flight portion.
"If a travel operator needs to cancel a package holiday for any reason, they are required to notify you as soon as possible and without undue delay. This is to ensure that you have enough time to help you make alternative arrangements or seek refunds," Tomas explained.
As well as free meals and refreshments for passengers affected by delays or cancellations, airlines should also provide free overnight accommodation and a transfer to and from the airport if your flight is shifted to the next day. "The only case which does not apply is when it is under an 'extraordinary circumstance', which is often caused by air traffic control and therefore does not qualify for compensation," the expert advised.
If you are wondering whether to claim a full refund or reschedule your holiday, this depends on personal circumstances. However, Tomas suggests taking the following factors into account when making this decision:
- Availability: Consider if the dates the travel operator offers you are a suitable alternative date for your original trip. If the new dates do not align with your schedule, rescheduling might not be a viable option.
- Refund Amount: If the travel operator is offering a full refund, this could be financially more appealing, especially if you are uncertain about your future travel plans.
- Change Fees: Check if the travel operator is waiving any change fees for rescheduling. Some operators might impose fees for changing travel dates, which could impact your decision.
- Travel Insurance: If you have travel insurance, review your policy to see if it covers cancellations or changes due to unforeseen circumstances. This might influence your decision to reschedule or opt for a refund.
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