Airline customers who have experienced delays are being urged to familiarise themselves with their rights. They may be able to claim hundreds in compensation.
A. The CAA’s Standards for Airline Assistance
B.
* **CAA’s role:** The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sets the standards for airline assistance. * **Conditions for assistance:** Delays must meet specific criteria to qualify for assistance. * **Types of assistance:** Airlines are required to provide food, drink, phone call reimbursement, and accommodation for overnight travelers.
Airlines must cough up compensation for delays over three hours unless they’re off the hook due to “exceptional circumstances” like air traffic control issues, says the CAA, who insist travellers are kept in the loop. They add: “If you have been delayed for more than five hours and no longer wish to travel then you are entitled to a refund. If you are a transfer passenger and missed your connection flight because your first flight was delayed, you are also entitled to a flight back to your original departure point.” The aviation authority explains that once you opt for a later flight or a refund, don’t expect any food or a hotel from the airline. They caution: “If you are on a package holiday and you decide not to travel on your outbound flight, you may lose your holiday too, we recommend you contact your package organiser or the airline for further information. If you still want to travel then your airline must get you to your destination. You might have to be patient while they rearrange transport and rebook passengers, but the law says they must get you there.”
It is not a cash refund for the flight, but a fixed amount calculated according to the the length of delay and the distance of the journey.
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