How to get a claim off the ground if your flight’s cancelled or delayed

When Jacqueline Morgan arrived at Birmingham Airport two hours before her flight to Greece, she never imagined she would see it take off from the departure lounge.

But massive security delays left the office clerk, from Dudley in the West Midlands, and her friend, Shirley Halliday, queuing for two hours, not reaching their gate until it was too late.

Jacqueline was one of more than 20 Ryanair passengers scheduled to fly to Rhodes at 7am on May 6 who were stranded due to disorder at the airport.

She says: “The crowds were huge – there were thousands of people queuing at security. The staff told us no one would miss their flight as he blocked us from getting into the fast lane.”

After missing her flight, the 62-year-old was assured by airport staff that she would get her money back if she booked a new flight.

But a month later she is still waiting for a refund of more than £800 for the new flight, train tickets for a transfer to another airport and a hotel room.

A Ryanair spokesperson said: ‘Due to security delays at Birmingham Airport, a small number of passengers missed their flight to Rhodes on 6 May. It is the passengers’ responsibility to make sure they are at the gate before it closes.”

An airport spokesman admitted this was the cause of the delay, but refused compensation, telling customers to claim their insurance.

Jacqueline is just one of thousands of passengers caught up in travel turmoil at UK airports. About 15,000 passengers were stranded on Monday after easyJet canceled more than 100 flights due to thunderstorms.

As Britain braces for another summer of travel chaos, Money Mail explains your rights if you get caught up in it…

Can I claim due to security queues?

If you miss your flight due to long queues at security, it is unlikely that you will be able to claim compensation from your airline.

These checks are carried out by the airport, which means that your airline does not have to pay any compensation or refund on this basis.

If you miss your flight because you don’t make it to the gate on time, it’s your fault, says Gary Rycroft of law firm Joseph A. Jones & Co.

The airline is not obliged to give you a replacement flight and you have to pay if you still want to travel to your final destination.

Please contact your airline if you think you will miss your flight due to a long queue. If enough passengers end up in this chaos, there is a chance that the flight will be delayed.

Some airlines book you to the next available flight for a fee. Ryanair charges customers who arrive at the check-in counter between 40 minutes before their flight’s scheduled departure time and one hour later, £100 per passenger to transfer to the next available flight.

Stranded: Jacqueline Morgan (right) and her friend Shirley Halliday have missed their flight to Rhodes

But beware, this may exceed the cost of booking a new ticket.

With easyJet you can pay a £110 rescue fee to transfer to the next available flight if you arrive at the airport less than two hours after your flight has departed.

Virgin Atlantic customers who miss their flight will be booked free of charge on the airline’s next available plane. You may be able to make a claim for missing your flight on your travel insurance policy.

Most policies pay out if you arrive late at the airport because you were stuck in heavy traffic or your car broke down. Policies will list specific reasons for which you are covered, so read the terms and conditions carefully.

Missed flight insurance is usually not included in standard travel policies and is only offered as an add-on, says Rebecca Goodman of price comparison site Comparethemarket.

As far as the airport is concerned, your chances of claiming damages are very slim, says Jo Rhodes of consumer group Which?.

She says: ‘No major UK airport currently has a policy to compensate passengers in these circumstances. If you’re standing in a long line and worried about missing your flight, it’s essential that you say so and make a fuss. At most airports you will be placed at the front of the line when your flight is about to depart.’

What if the flight is late?

UK law requires airlines to offer compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

But there are exceptions to this rule. If the delay was caused by “extraordinary circumstances,” such as extreme weather or strikes, don’t expect compensation, the Civil Aviation Authority says.

The amount of reimbursement you qualify for depends on the distance you travelled.

Limited coverage: Most insurance will pay out if you arrive late at the airport because you were stuck in heavy traffic or your car broke down

For short-haul flights of less than 1,500km (e.g. London to Split in Croatia) you are entitled to £220 if you are more than three hours late. For distances of 3,500 km, such as Greece, it is £350. Compensation for more than this is £520.

During your delay, your airline must provide food and drink, and accommodation if you are delayed overnight. If you have a delay of more than five hours and you no longer wish to travel, you are entitled to a full refund.

But once you accept a refund, or don’t transfer to the first available flight, your airline is under no obligation to provide you with food, drink or accommodation.

and if I miss my connection?

If you miss your connecting flight due to a delay on the first leg of your journey, you may be entitled to compensation, but usually only if you booked both flights as one booking, according to Citizens Advice.

Please contact the airline as soon as possible to reschedule your second flight. If you booked the two flights separately, you may have to pay for another flight if you miss your connection.

This is because you did not arrive at your flight within the recommended time and therefore are not entitled to compensation from the second airline.

If you were delayed for less than three hours, you may also not be entitled to compensation from your original airline, even if you missed your connection.

Some insurance companies will cover missed connections if the airline is not required to pay compensation, Ms Goodman said. Check your policy to see if connections are included.

Sean Tipton, from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), says: ‘The best way to protect yourself when booking two flights is through a travel agent. The two flights are then legally treated as one contract, so you can claim directly from the airline.’

a.cooke@dailymail.co.uk