Fly on a Wednesday to beat summer holiday chaos

Experts warn many airlines will follow EasyJet, which this week canceled 1,700 summer flights from now to September, affecting more than 180,000 UK holidaymakers.

“More will no doubt follow,” says Paul Charles of travel consultancy The PC Agency, with airlines consolidating and canceling more flights, which he attributes to a drop in demand as the cost of living bites. .

“We could be looking at 5 percent of flight bookings,” he says. This means that thousands of flights affect hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Here we answer all your questions about how this could affect your plans and what you might be able to claim if they go wrong.

Why does EasyJet cancel flights in the summer?

Cancellations are due to air traffic delays at Gatwick that were about three times longer than before the pandemic.

“The entire industry is facing challenging conditions this summer with reduced airspace 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 departure, is it obligatory for me to rebook?

Yes. “If a flight is canceled, passengers should be refunded or alternative travel arrangements as soon as possible,” the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said. “These could be flights with other airlines, or a new flight at a convenient date.”

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

Under UK law, airlines are required to refund passengers or offer re-routing if they wish to travel, either as soon as possible after the canceled flight or at a later date.

You do not have to travel with the same airline. If the alternative offered is not suitable, you can request that another airline be flown.

If you are at the airport when your flight is delayed or canceled, the airline has a duty to take care of its passengers by providing food and drink, as well as an alternative flight. Keep receipts so you can recover reasonable expenses.

Can I get compensation for a canceled flight?

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

If your new flight departs up to 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, for example, extreme weather, strikes by airport or ATC employees, or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ do not qualify.”

Because EasyJet canceled pre-emptively, it paid compensation in some cases.

If my flight is cancelled, can I claim the costs of my family holiday from the insurance company?

If your canceled flight is not part of a package holiday, some of the more comprehensive travel insurance policies may cover the loss of your holiday.

Please check the wording carefully and make sure you buy the policy at the time you book your holiday. For example, the Staysure policies include trip interruption insurance as standard.

Are midweek flights less likely to be cancelled?

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

If you have yet to book your flight, try to leave early in the morning; flights later in the day are more likely to be delayed during the day.

“Keep an eye out for non-stop services – these may be a little more expensive, but they get you around tricky transits at busy hubs,” said aviation expert Gordon Smith.

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

Does my holiday insurance cover flights canceled due to European air traffic control disruption?

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

Only when these options have been exhausted should you look at your travel insurance policy.

“If your travel insurance covers travel interruptions, it may cover travel delays or cancellations,” said an ABI spokesperson.

What if the only available flight is a day before or after the original flight, causing me to incur additional costs or miss part of my holiday?

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

Under the Package Travel Regulations, the travel company is obliged to ensure that the holiday proceeds as it was sold.

If you miss part of the trip, travel companies will often give a pro rata refund, says a spokesperson for the ABTA trade association.

‘If it is a booking you made independently, the airline is not responsible for any additional costs. It’s safest to book a package.’

What if my return flight is canceled while I’m away?

If the flight is part of a package holiday, your travel organization will arrange everything.

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

If the airline does not organize this in the form of vouchers or hotel bookings, make sure you keep receipts of all reasonable expenses.

If I cancel my ticket now, will I get a full refund?

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

If you have booked a package holiday and no longer wish to travel, you will lose your deposit in any case – check the company’s terms and conditions.

If you have independently booked other parts of your holiday, such as a hotel, villa or car rental, cancellation may incur costs.

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 journey outside the UK?

No. The ATC problem is happening all over Europe, so it won’t help you to take the Eurostar to Paris and look for a flight there.

“The issues are cross-border,” says Gordon Smith. Eurostar tickets bought in high season aren’t cheap either – and the company has had its own capacity problems caused by manned post-Brexit border checks.

Is it better to cancel and rebook for the spring break in October?

You can generally not cancel a holiday that you have already booked and paid for free of charge.

But if you haven’t booked yet, consider traveling outside the summer peak. ‘You can see why the demand for traveling outside rush hours is increasing,’ says Paul Charles.

Will the issue affect other airlines and airports?

Since the issues with ATC are industry wide, it is very likely that there will be more cancellations in the summer.

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

In addition, if there is a lower-than-expected demand for flights due to the cost-of-living crisis, as predicted by Charles, there is the possibility of more flight consolidation, which means cancellations.

moneymail@dailymail.co.uk