How holidaymakers may be entitled to compensation for delayed flights amid travel chaos

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Holidaymakers may be entitled to compensation if their flights abroad are delayed for certain lengths of time. There has been travel chaos at airports up and down the UK in recent days - with flights cancelled and travellers facing lengthy waits.

This is due to staff shortages in the aviation industry, as a significant number of staff left or were let go during the height of the Covid pandemic.

Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumeradvice.scot service, says that customers me be entitled to something from their airline if their flight is delayed.

The charity said that protection is offered by the ‘Denied Boarding Regulation’ or ‘EU Regulation 261/2004’ if their delayed or cancelled flight was booked with a UK or European airline, departing from the UK or Europe.Customers facing delays of two hours or more for short haul flights may be entitled to assistance - including free meals and refreshments and free accommodation or hotel transfer if an overnight stay is required.For medium haul flights of two or more hours, the delay must be for three hours or more to claim compensation, which rises to four hours for long haul journeys.If the delays are longer than five hours, then customers may be able to choose between being rerouted on a different flight or getting a refund.Compensation can only be claimed if their delay was not due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’ such as severe weather, long security queues, security risks, unlawful acts and strikes by non-airline staff, such as baggage handlers.For EU regulated flights that are not cancelled and where ‘extraordinary circumstances’ do not apply, customers can ask for a refund or choose to take an alternative flight.Did you know you can keep up to date with