Fly on a Wednesday to beat summer holiday chaos

Experts are warning that many airlines will follow EasyJet, who this week axed 1,700 summer flights from now until September, affecting more than 180,000 British holidaymakers.

‘Without a doubt there will be more to come,’ said Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, with airlines consolidating and cancelling more flights, which he attributes to a drop-off in demand as the cost-of-living crisis bites.

‘We could be looking at 5 per cent of flight bookings,’ he says. This means thousands of flights affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. 

Here, we answer all your questions on how this might affect your plans and what you may be able to claim for if they go awry.

Cancellations: Experts are warning that many airlines will follow EasyJet, who this week axed 1,700 flights affecting more than 180,000 British holidaymakers

Why is EasyJet cancelling flights over the summer?

Cancellations have resulted from air traffic delays at Gatwick that were about three times longer than before the pandemic.

‘The whole industry is seeing challenging conditions this summer with more constrained air space due to the war in Ukraine,’ said an EasyJet spokesman.

‘This has resulted in unprecedented air traffic control (ATC) delays, as well as further potential ATC strike action.’

If EasyJet cancels my summer flight the day before travel is it obliged to rebook me?

Yes. ‘If a flight is cancelled, passengers should be offered a refund or alternative travel arrangements at the earliest opportunity,’ says the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ‘This can include flights with other airlines, or a new flight at a convenient date.’

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

Airlines are required under UK law to provide passengers with a refund or with alternative flights if they still wish to travel, either as soon as possible after the cancelled flight, or on a later date.

You do not have to travel on the same airline. If the alternative offered is not suitable, you can ask to be re-routed by a different airline. 

If you are at the airport when your flight is delayed or cancelled, the airline has a duty to look after its passengers by providing food and drink as well as an alternative flight. Keep receipts so you can reclaim reasonable costs.

Can I get compensation for a cancelled flight?

If you are notified of a cancellation within 14 days of the flight, it is possible to claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight. 

If your new flight departs no more than two hours before the scheduled time of your original flight and arrives less than four hours after the scheduled time, you are not entitled to financial compensation.

Payments also depend on whether the issue is within the airline’s control or not. 

According to the CAA, ‘disruptions caused by such things as extreme weather, airport or ATC employee strikes or other “extraordinary circumstances” are not eligible’. 

As EasyJet made pre-emptive cancellations, it paid compensation in some instances.

Airlines are required under UK law to provide passengers with a refund or alternative flights if they still wish to travel, either as soon as possible after the cancelled flight, or on a later date

If my flight is cancelled can I claim for the cost of my family holiday on insurance?

If your cancelled flight isn’t part of a package holiday, some of the more comprehensive travel insurance policies might include coverage for the loss of your holiday. 

Check the wording carefully and make sure you buy the policy at the same time as you book your holiday. For instance, Staysure policies include travel disruption insurance as standard.

Are midweek flights less likely to be cancelled?

Weekends and bank holidays are more likely to be affected by ATC delays as they are busier than during the middle of the week. 

If you have yet to book your flight, try to go for an early morning departure; flights later in the day are more likely to have inherited delays during the course of the day.

‘Keep an eye out for non-stop services — these might be a little more expensive, but they will mean you bypass tricky transits at busy hubs,’ said aviation expert Gordon Smith.

Also, consider airports other than Gatwick, which is particularly badly affected as it has two terminals — but only one runway.

Will my holiday insurance cover flights if they are cancelled due to disruption with European air traffic control?

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) advises that anyone affected by a cancelled flight should first try to seek redress from the airline or tour operator, then look to see if they are covered by their credit card, if it was used to purchase the flight. 

It is only once these avenues have been exhausted that you should look at your travel insurance.

‘If your travel insurance includes cover for travel disruption, it might cover travel delays or cancellations,’ says an ABI spokesman.

What if the only flight available is a day before or after the original flight, which means I will incur extra costs or miss part of my holiday?

It really all depends whether you made the booking as part of a package, which is defined as any two elements of a holiday, such as the flight and hotel, which are sold together.

Under the Package Travel Regulations, the travel company is obliged to make sure the holiday operates as it was sold. 

If you miss part of the trip, travel firms will often give a pro-rata refund, says a spokesman from industry association ABTA.

‘If it’s a booking you made independently, the airline isn’t responsible for extra costs. It’s safest to book a package.’

Peak times: Weekends and bank holidays are more likely to be affected by ATC delays as they are busier than during the middle of the week

What if my return flight is cancelled once I’m away?

If the flight is part of a package holiday, your travel company will take care of any arrangements. 

If you booked your flight independently, the airline is obliged to cover reasonable expenses. This means refreshments, food and, where necessary, hotel accommodation.

If the airline does not organise this in terms of vouchers or hotel bookings, be sure to keep receipts of all reasonable expenses.

If I cancel my ticket now can I get a full refund?

You cannot cancel your ticket and get a refund unless the airline has contacted you about a flight cancellation. 

If you have booked a package holiday and no longer wish to travel, at the very least you will lose your deposit — check the company’s Ts and Cs.

If you booked other elements of your holiday independently, such as a hotel, a villa or car hire, there may be cost implications if you cancel them. 

Hotels often offer a cheaper price without the option to cancel a few days in advance or a more expensive price with the option to cancel.

Should I consider starting my trip outside the UK?

No. The ATC issue is Europe-wide, so it won’t help you to take the Eurostar to Paris and look for a flight there. 

‘The issues transcend borders,’ says Gordon Smith. Also, Eurostar tickets bought in peak season aren’t cheap — and the company has its own capacity problems caused by staffing border controls after Brexit.

Would I be better off cancelling and rebooking for October half-term?

You generally can’t cancel a holiday if you have already booked and paid for it without incurring costs. 

But if you haven’t already booked, you might want to consider travel outside the summer peak. ‘You can see why demand to travel off-peak is increasing,’ says Paul Charles.

Is the issue going to affect other airlines and airports?

Given that the problems with ATC are industry-wide, it is highly likely that there will be more cancellations over summer.

‘EasyJet won’t be the last. I would be very surprised if other airlines don’t follow suit,’ says Smith. 

Additionally, if there is lower flight demand than expected as a result of the cost-of-living crisis as predicted by Charles, there is the possibility of more flight consolidation, which means cancellations.

[email protected]

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk