Travellers catching flights to spend Christmas with loved ones have been urged to prepare in case severe weather causes delays and cancellations.
Travel experts at FlightsFinder.com have advised passengers on actions to take if caught in disruption because of adverse weather.
Last year, millions of travellers experienced queues, hold-ups or cancellations, and a third of all flights were delayed, including many over the festive period.
It was the worst winter in decades for US airlines and tens of thousands of flights were cancelled between December 20 and January 4, impacting holidaymakers worldwide.
This year, the Met Office has warned of snow and ice as we head towards Christmas and New Year, and travellers have been warned to prepare in case of flight chaos.
Airlines can classify severe weather conditions as an extraordinary circumstance and can refuse compensation, but the experts advise travellers to challenge the decision.
They also recommend securing travel insurance and seeking assistance for food, drinks and overnight accommodation.
Shahab Siddiqui, founder of FlightsFinder.com said: “Over the Christmas period, heavy winter weather can severely impact airport operations.
“Last year, thousands of flights were cancelled and delayed over the Christmas period which caused stress for holidaymakers hoping to enjoy the festive season.
“When it comes to weather-related delays and cancellations it can cause more problems for travellers as airlines can refuse compensation claiming it is out of their control.
“It is well worth disputing this as airlines can be held responsible if they had poor de-icing procedures, for example.
“It is also important to keep in touch with airlines for updates and make use of complimentary food and drinks at the airport.”
Here are FlightsFinder.com’s five top tips for weather-related flight disruptions
- Challenge the airline
If a flight is cancelled because of bad weather, guidelines state that the airline must prove there were extraordinary circumstances and that they took all reasonable steps to avoid them.
- Ask about re-routes
Airlines must prove that they took all possible measures to re-route affected passengers at the earliest opportunity and prove it was not possible to rebook passengers onto another connection. They must also show they examined rebooking passengers on flights with other airlines and even considered alternative transportation.
- Compensation
It is always worth claiming compensation. If the weather is not “wholly exceptional”, or if other flights are taking off at the same time, this may be an indication that your flight could have gone ahead. Airlines failing to take technical measures like de-icing the aircraft will leave grounds for compensation.
- Insurance
Some providers offer cover for extreme weather, for which airlines aren’t required to offer compensation. If left stranded by disruption, they can also cover emergency accommodation and even repatriation.
- Complimentary offers
Depending on how long the flight is delayed, the airline has to offer things like food and drink, access to phone calls and email and accommodation. If not given anything at the airport, keep receipts for expenses and try to claim from the airline later.
