Advice has been issued for anyone going on holiday.
As the summer months draw in, many people will be looking to book their summer holiday, or even look ahead to jet off abroad for some winter sun. For some, planning a holiday is a stressful experience right up until they land in another country.
But if your flight is delayed or cancelled, this can cause more stress and is not the ideal way to start your holiday. Although the majority of flights run smoothly, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued advice on what to do if such an issue arises.
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The CAA said: "Airlines do their best to avoid disruption and delays to your journey. However, sometimes problems do occur. As a consumer you have important legal rights when the flight you are booked on is delayed, cancelled or when you are denied boarding."
If your flight is cancelled or delayed, the CAA said airlines must provide you with care and assistance which includes a reasonable amount of food and drink, communication, accommodation and transport to accommodation. The website added: "The airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay lasts or what has caused it."
However, some airlines may not be able to offer this due to staffing problems, in this case, you can organise reasonable care and assistance yourself and then claim the costs back later as long as you keep a receipt and "do not spend more than is reasonable". The CAA states: "Airlines are unlikely to refund you for things like luxury hotels or alcohol."
You may be able to claim compensation depending on the cause for cancellation. If it is not the airline's fault, such as the weather or air traffic control strikes, you will not be eligible for compensation. If your new flight departs no more than two hours before the scheduled time of your original flight and your new flight arrives less than four hours after the scheduled time of your original flight, you are also not entitled to financial compensation.
The CAA states that you may also be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed and you arrive at your destination more than three hours late. However again, if it is due to "extraordinary circumstances", you will not be eligible.
The CAA added: "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."
If a flight is cancelled, airlines must let you choose between receiving a refund or choosing an alternative flight. The full list of potential compensation costs can be found here.
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