What are my rights if wintry UK weather has disrupted my travel?
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Snow, ice and flooding have resulted in flights and trains being delayed or cancelled, and roads being blocked. The winter weather has caused severe travel disruption in some parts of the UK, with flights and trains cancelled and roads blocked. We look at your rights if the snow or flooding has disrupted your journey.
If your flight has been delayed or cancelled as a result of bad weather, your airline has some obligations to you. The Civil Aviation Authority says that if there is a “lengthy delay”, airlines should “look after their passengers, including providing food and drink, and accommodation if overnight”.
If your flight is cancelled, you should be offered a refund or alternative travel arrangements. If your airline fails to do this, you can make your own arrangements and reclaim your costs – you should keep receipts and not spend more than is necessary. Your airline may have rules around what it will pay for. British Airways, for example, says it will not cover the cost of travel to a different departure airport from the one you had booked to use.
Your airline is unlikely to pay compensation on top of the refund/reimbursement of your travel costs, as the bad weather can be considered out of its control. For accommodation, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says you should first speak to the accommodation provider, but your travel insurance may cover non-refundable costs.
