Travel chaos as thousands of passengers hit by cancellations & delays at UK airports and urgent weather warning in place
THOUSANDS of passengers have been hit by cancellations and delays at UK airports after the Met Office issued a yellow warning.
One flight has been cancelled and 12 have been delayed at London Heathrow this morning.
At Gatwick, two flights have been cancelled and 13 delayed, according to Flightaware.
Five flights due to fly into Gatwick from destinations around the world have been cancelled, and 19 have been delayed.
The airport monitoring website also reports cancellations and delays at Bristol and Manchester airports.
It comes after more than 125 planes were reportedly grounded by the tail winds from Hurricane Beryl.
Around 10,000 British Airways and EasyJet passengers were affected by the delays earlier this week.
The hurricane has carved a path of destruction through Mexico, the Caribbean and Texas, killing at least 11 people.
A yellow weather warning will now be in force for northern Scotland until midnight tonight.
Heavy rain will slowly push across the warning zone, sparking travel chaos.
A whopping 90mm of rain could drench the Grampians and the north west Highlands.
There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses, which could also be damaged by floods.
Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services.
Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
Some communities could become cut off by flooded roads, forecasters said.
And fast flowing or deep floodwater could pose a “danger to life” in the warning zone.
The Environment Agency has issued a red flood warning for the River Maun in Nottinghamshire and 25 amber flood alerts across England.
Five amber flood alerts are in place in Scotland, overlapping with the yellow warning zone.
Is your area covered by the yellow warning?
- Angus
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Moray
- Highland
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of the “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.