Airspace bans imposed over London and Windsor for the Queen’s state funeral and committal ceremony have led to the cancellation of 200 flights to and from Heathrow. An estimated 35,000 passengers booked to fly in or out of the UK’s busiest airport will be affected.
These are the key questions and answers about your rights if your flight is grounded.
Which flights are affected?
Individual airlines are making their own decisions on which flights to cancel, postpone or pre-pone (move earlier). By far the most cancellations are on British Airways, which is cancelling 100 flights to comply with the airspace ban.
Virgin Atlantic is grounding four flights to/from California, and a Las Vegas departure will leave over three hours earlier.
Other carriers have yet to reveal their cancellations, but these are expected to be in proportion to the usual number of flights. For example, Aer Lingus has grounded a total of eight flights; Lufthansa and KLM are expected to cancel a similar number.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?
You are entitled to be flown on the same day, if any seats are available on any airline.
Carriers that are cancelling flights will aim to rebook passengers on their own flights if they possibly can – with British Airways substituting larger aircraft where possible to carry displaced travellers.
If a same-day alternative is unavailable on the cancelling airline, under European air passengers’ rights rules they must pay for a flight on a rival carrier. In practice they are not especially good at proactively booking tickets on other airlines, so you may need to pay for it yourself and claim it back.
What if I am obliged to wait overnight?
The airline must provide a hotel room and meals. Again, you may need to pay for them and reclaim.
Do I get cash compensation?
No, the cause is classified as “extraordinary circumstances” as airlines are complying with an airspace ban. The Civil Aviation Authority says: “We do not anticipate that compensation will be payable to consumers.”
If my trip is rendered pointless by a cancellation or postponement, can I claim a refund?
Yes, and if there is a return leg on the same airline you can also claim for the inbound sector.
Are flights to and from other London airports affected?
Not so far, but if they are then the same rights prevail.
Could airlines not have rescheduled flights to operate from other London airports?
Carriers would judge that, for a single day, the resources and organisation involved in moving passengers, planes and personnel would be disproportionate.
