If you have a flight booked, this article will look at the issue of flight delays and compensation in 2024 and what you are entitled to if your trip gets disrupted.
There are many reasons for a flight delay and many include airline strikes, system failures, air traffic control strikes and failures, bad weather and aircraft mechanical issues.
But what are your rights if your flight gets delayed or cancelled? Let’s find out.
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Flight delays and compensation 2024: When to make a claim
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, it appears you are entitled to compensation if your flight arrives more than three hours AFTER the scheduled arrival time, or if your flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure.
If your flight is delayed by a couple of hours at the airport then you should be entitled to at least food vouchers.
If your flight is delayed overnight, then the airline will cover the cost of overnight accommodation and meals.
Check out the advice from the Civil Aviation Authority here for further information depending on where you are flying to/from for more information.
Please note that if your flight is delayed or cancelled through forces beyond the airline’s control (such as bad weather, airport strikes, air traffic control strikes etc.) you won’t be able to apply for for compensation.
Under normal circumstances, if you experience any delay longer than three hours or have to stay overnight.
My advice is if you do encounter a delay, just apply for compensation anyway. It’s quick and simple to do. Check out these handy airline links here:
You can read about claiming compensation from easyJet from here.
To claim compensation from Ryanair click here.
To claim compensation from TUI flights, check this link here.
For all other TUI holiday compensation claims check here.
To claim compensation from Jet2, check this link here.
To claim from British Airways, check here.
To claim compensation from Vueling, check your rights here.
Will the airline organise overnight accommodation for flight delays?
It’s likely that if they are able, your airline will organise overnight accommodation for yourself and everyone on your booking for flight delays because they have a duty of care for their passengers.
However sometimes they may be unable to do so, particularly if disruption is widespread, resources are stretched or accommodation is unavailable.
If this is the case, you may be entitled to book accommodation, a taxi and arrange a meal.
Keep all of the receipts and then put in a claim using the links above on your return to your home country.
Keep expenses reasonable so don’t include alcohol or luxury hotel stays to stand more of a chance of getting your money back.
There is no guarantee you will be refunded and it will depend on why your flight has been delayed or cancelled.
The airline may also choose to keep you waiting in the airport for an available slot to fly.
If you leave the airport, you may forfeit your flight home.
Flight delays and compensation – Where to stay overnight in Mallorca?
If your flight is delayed and you are forced to look for your own accommodation in Mallorca, then choose a location near the airport where there are plenty of hotels and availability and you can easily get back to the airport.
Choose either to stay in Can Pastilla or Arenal which is 5 to 10 minutes by bus or taxi from the airport.
There are plenty of taxis in the Arrivals area of Palma Airport, alternatively, if availability is low then you may wish to take the bus.
Find out more information here about taking the A2 EMT bus to these resorts from the airport.
Alternatively, stay in Mallorca’s capital Palma.
Only book yourself accommodation if the airline advises that you do so or you are unable to rebook your flight until days later.
Also, account for the fact that if your flight is delayed you may be able to get home sooner than you think.
On the 28 August the day following the storms in Mallorca, Easyjet laid on further flights to assist with totally sold-out flights giving many travellers the option to get home sooner than they thought they would.
Prior to this, all flights flying to Palma had been sold out for 4 days following the storm.
Check out booking.com here and expedia.com if you need a room for a night or so but where possible, book accommodation that you can cancel, or just book a night at a time.
Always check the terms before booking.
What happens if a systems failure delays your flight?
System failures are not uncommon and can bring the entire travel industry to its knees.
That said, the airline should still endeavour to reschedule your flight and take the necessary steps as stated above to help you get food and accommodation if your flight is delayed by more than a few hours.
It’s also likely that there will be a knock-on effect with regard to flight delays and cancellations following a systems failure.
Even if you are travelling in the days following a systems failure, check with your airline before you fly.
However, unless advised by your airline, turn up at the airport in good time for your flight.
Flight delays and compensation because of bad weather?
As has been the case with the severe weather on 27 August 2023 in Mallorca (and you can see how bad the weather was here) this led to several flight cancellations not just on the island but throughout Europe.
Bad weather when flying is not the fault of the airline, therefore it’s not guaranteed you will get compensation for reasons of “force majeure“.
Airlines including easyJet and Ryanair have allowed passengers to rebook onto homebound flights without charge, in the best way possible, even if it means taking an indirect flight home.
They may also refund out-of-pocket expenses incurred.
One member from the Mallorca Under the Sun Facebook group travelling back to the UK with Ryanair said, “They have transferred our cancelled flight back to East Mids to Alicante to East Mids on Wednesday afternoon.
“Told me they will refund the cost of my flight to get to Alicante and the expenses. So I have booked a flight to ALC on Wednesday morning. Booked 2 nights in Palma and Ryanair will refund me. So let’s see how that goes.”
Have you experienced a flight cancellation due to bad weather? How did the airline return you to your home country? And did you have your expenses refunded? Let me know in the comments.
If you have experienced a flight delay or compensation, then just apply for compensation anyway. It’s normally quite a simple procedure and you may get compensated for some of your trip. Good luck.
How to cope with a flight delay with kids
Whether or not your flight is cancelled or delayed take plenty of food and snacks with you to the airport.
Prior to getting your flight, organise your own meal for the flight – buy a baguette, sandwich or pick up some empanadas (pies) from the bakery as well as snacks from the supermarket or mini-mart
This is often cheaper than eating at the cafes from the airport plus you will have the option of choice.
At Palma Airport, you can easily buy bottled mineral water from the vending machines for 1,10€ once through security which is cheaper than buying from the shops.
Load TV programmes or films onto your mobile phone or tablet to keep kids entertained (take a battery pack), and take a notepad, some pens, and some travel games.
Also, take some magazines and reading material.
It can be extremely difficult travelling with children if there are flight delays and cancellations but take a few steps to help your trip go a little more smoothly until you are able to take your flight.
Flight delays often lead to passengers drinking more alcohol than they should before getting a flight, which is sometimes the case on a low-cost airline flight.
If you are a nervous flyer then check out this article here for tips on coping on rowdy flight.
