Cancelled or delayed flights in the UK: what passengers are entitled to

Passengers affected by flights in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England disrupted by air traffic control problems may have rights under UK law.

When the rules apply, an airline must offer a refund or alternative transport at no extra cost. It must also arrange meals, communication, overnight accommodation and onward travel when necessary.

UK rules generally cover departures from UK airports on any airline, arrivals in the UK on a UK or EU airline, and arrivals in the EU on a UK airline.

Refunds and alternative transport

Passengers can be refunded for any unused part of a ticket, regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made. If the outbound leg of a return booking is cancelled, they can seek a refund for the full return ticket.

Those who still want to travel must be offered another flight. If another airline or another form of transport would reach the destination significantly sooner, passengers may be entitled to that option.

Food and accommodation during delays

Assistance is available after delays of two hours on short-haul flights, three hours on medium-haul flights and four hours on long-haul flights. It can include a reasonable amount of food and drink, communication costs and free accommodation when travel moves to the following day.

If the airline cannot arrange assistance, passengers can organise it themselves and claim the cost back. The Civil Aviation Authority advises keeping receipts and avoiding unnecessary spending.

After a delay of more than five hours, passengers who no longer wish to travel can request a full refund. For a package holiday booked with an ABTA member, the options are a suitable alternative flight or a full refund.

When extra compensation may apply

Air traffic control problems, bad weather, airport-staff strikes and conflict are treated as “extraordinary circumstances”, so they do not normally trigger extra compensation.

When an airline is responsible and a cancellation is announced less than two weeks before departure, compensation may depend on the alternative flight’s timing and the journey distance. The maximum amounts are £220 for flights under 1,500km, £350 for 1,500km to 3,500km and £520 for flights over 3,500km.

Passengers with unused accommodation may first contact their credit-card provider if that was how the booking was paid for, and then their travel insurer. Coverage depends on the policy terms, and government travel advice may also affect insurance rights.

Airlines do not compensate lost earnings, while travel insurance usually excludes them. Passengers should notify their employer and agree how to record the absence, such as annual leave or unpaid leave; employers generally do not have to pay for it unless the contract says otherwise.