Missed connections

THERE are lots of situations in life that we dread. Making small talk with strangers is enough to push many people over the edge. The thought of being stuck in a lift with James Blunt playing over the tannoy on repeat chills me to the bone. But one situation that makes us all despair is being stuck in an airport when your flight is delayed.

The only silver lining on that particular cloud is the fact that you may be able to claim compensation if your flight is delayed over three hours. Not only that, but you can go back to claim for delays up to six years ago – so check your email inboxes for those old confirmation details.

In a useful turn-up for the books, the European Courts of Justice (ECJ) has ruled on a court case that means you can now claim if you’re delayed over three hours as a result of a connection delay outside of the EU too.

Typically, there are tons of terms, exemptions and rules when it comes to flight delays. We’ve got a full guide on the Resolver website at www.resolver.co.uk/flights but here’s my super-simple version!

• If you book a flight either to or from an EU country (and some others) or use an EU airline you can get compo for delays over three hours.

• That includes airport expenses (don’t get too excited, it won’t cover a trip to the champers and caviar shop).

• The compensation is in Euros and increases depending on the delay from 250 to 300, 400 or 600 euros.

• You are only able to claim compensation if the delay was the airline's fault, something within their control basically.

• The new ruling means as long as you’re flying to or from an EU territory with a stopover in a non-EU territory, you can get compensation for any delays that might occur – even if they happen on part of the journey that's outside the EU.

Of course, getting a payout isn’t always so straightforward. It’s come to my attention lately that some airlines aren’t paying out the money promised in the rules. You shouldn’t have to double check what you get offered, but make sure you do regardless – the Resolver guide will tell you what you’re owed. If the firm disputes this, just send them a link to our guide and ask them to explain themselves.

Cancellations suck, frankly. But you are still entitled to refunds and more. Once again, it’s complicated. As a general rule, if your flight is cancelled, you’re entitled to a refund or an alternative flight to your destination. The compensation rules above still apply, with the time limits now relating to when the alternative flight arrives.

If you go for another flight, it will usually be provided by the airline you booked with, but if they aren’t taking a ‘reasonable’ amount of time to sort out an alternative they should book you with a rival. Regular readers will know, I hate the word ‘reasonable’ in rules because it means nothing! As a rule of thumb, once you go over the first 24 hours, we’re into unreasonable territory.

Of course, free cash is all well and good, but if you’re stuck in an airport waiting endlessly for information, chances are you’d trade it all just to get on that plane. If it happens to you, keep your receipts safe (or photo them for future claims) and make a few notes on the impact on you. All of this helps when it comes to getting compensation that reflects the delays or problems you’ve had.

But what about strikes, volcanos, cancellations, cock-ups and other problems, I hear you ask? Well, that’s too complicated to summarise here so check out the Resolver site. If in doubt, put a claim in. It’s free and dead easy to do.

  • Need help with a flight delay or cancellation? Get started at www.resolver.co.uk/flights and let me know your stories at yourstories@resolver.co.uk.