What happens if my package holiday flight from Gatwick is cancelled?

Gatwick was just one of the airports hit with delays and cancellations on one of the busiest days of the year.

According to compensation experts at Claims.co.uk, UK Google searches for ‘what happens if my package holiday flight is cancelled’ have soared by 809 per cent over the past 24 hours. Visit www.claims.co.uk/no-win-no-fee.

A Claims.co.uk spokesperson said: “If you have booked a package holiday and your flights are cancelled, you have the rights to either claim a full refund, a reroute of the trip destination and potentially compensation from the airline. However, in these specific circumstances, delays and cancellations caused by air traffic control restrictions are considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and therefore do not qualify for compensation.

“In cases of flight delays and flight cancellations due to an ‘extraordinary circumstance;, the airline must provide you with additional services, depending on the length of your delay and waiting time. These additional services include free meals and refreshments, which you are entitled to when your flight is delayed by at least two hours. Passengers should also receive a free overnight accommodation and a transfer to and from the airport if the flight is shifted to the next day.”

The Claims.co.uk spokesperson said that travel operators who need to cancel a package holiday for any reason are required to notify you as soon as possible and without undue delay.

They continued: “However, in many people’s case due to the disruption, if you are at the airport when the flight is cancelled, it is advised that you contact your travel company straight away to talk through your options. If the delay lasts more than five hours, but is not actually cancelled, you should also be able to choose not to travel and get a full refund on your ticket. If your flight cannot be rearranged, meaning your whole holiday must be cancelled, then the travel company must offer an alternative holiday if possible, or a refund of the full package price, not just the flight part.”

Claims.co.uk said there are several factors people should consider when deciding whether to claim a full refund or reschedule a holiday. These include:

The refund amount – a full refund could be financially more appealing if you are not certain about your future travel plans.

Availability – have a think about whether the dates the travel operator offers are a suitable alternative.

Change fees – see if the travel operator is waiving any change fees for rescheduling.

Travel insurance – look at your policy to see if it covers cancellations or changes due to unforeseen circumstances.

A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk added: “If you received less than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation, you can claim compensation. This can be awarded in pounds or euros depending on where your flight was due to depart from.”

Claims.co.uk said the awards are awarded on this scale:

£220 / €250 for all flights of 1,500km or less (e.g. Glasgow to Amsterdam).

£350 / €400 for all flights between 1,500km and 3,500km (e.g. East Midlands to Marrakech).

£520 / €600 for all other flights (e.g. London to New York).