Delayed or Cancelled Flights
There are few things more frustrating than being stranded in an airport because of a delayed flight, or having to cancel that holiday or business trip because you are unable to get there.
Is it possible to get compensation for a flight delay or cancellation?
Compensation claims can be successful if it is proved that the delay or cancellation could reasonably have been avoided. The aviation industry is worth billions to the UK, over 65 million travelers came through Heathrow airport alone in 2010, and the majority of them arrived and took off on time with no mishaps.
However, it is not always smooth sailing for airlines or passengers, with a host of possible technical, commercial, administrative or other problems that can occur. We saw this in 2010, where in one year alone a volcanic ash cloud and severe snow, as well as worker strikes and collapsing holiday companies all caused disruption flights, leaving passengers stranded.
If you have had a flight delayed or cancelled and you are thinking about pursuing a claim for compensation, it would be advisable to take the following steps beforehand:
- Always try and obtain an explanation for the delay or cancellation from the airline itself as this will give you an idea of if a compensation claim is plausible (e.g. it wont be if the delay or cancellation is due to extreme weather)
- It is not uncommon for airlines to claim that the causes of a delay or cancellation were forces beyond their control when they weren’t. Make sure you carefully examine their claim and challenge them if they seem to be bending the truth.
- Always ask the airline to reconsider its decision, and if they don’t, inform them that you have sought legal advice and are considering taking action.
Common reasons that Airlines give for delays and cancellations
Unforeseen Technical problems
Technical problems can sometimes be defined as extraordinary circumstances, but only if they can show that the problem was caused by something they could not have taken measures to avoid and was therefore out of their hands.
Extraordinary Circumstances
These are defined as situations which are clearly beyond the powers of the airline to control, such as political instability, bad weather or airport security risks.
Problem with Crew Roster
There are strict regulations on the amount of hours that aircrew and pilots can work. The airline should know this and design its crew rota accordingly.
If your trip was ruined by a delayed flight that could have been avoided you could be entitled to compensation, get in touch with a solicitor today to find out whether you could claim compensation..