November 10th - What Are Your Rights When It All Goes Wrong?
Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast
The Independent
3.6 • 628 Ratings
🗓️ 10 November 2021
⏱️ 7 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We’re getting deeply into winter, when things tend to go wrong for airlines and holiday companies. Often, it’s simply not their fault. But fortunately there’s a strict duty of care to look after passengers – and get them where they need to be.
But what are your rights as a passenger in terms of due care and compensation? Simon Calder talks you through the obligations airlines and holiday companies are required to meet, as well as things to be aware of when booking flights, particularly transatlantic ones.
Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Simon Calder, welcoming you to my independent travel podcast, bringing you the latest news on travelling, whether you're just dreaming of a great escape or actually making plans for one. |
| 0:18.3 | Today, what are your rights if it all goes wrong in terms of flight delays and cancellations? |
| 0:25.6 | Are you due care and compensation? |
| 0:28.6 | I'll try to spell things out for you. |
| 0:32.6 | We're getting deeply into winter and of course that is when things tend to go wrong for airlines and holiday companies. |
| 0:42.3 | Often it's simply not their fault. Bad weather is usually to blame. |
| 0:48.3 | But fortunately for the passengers, it's absolutely clear what you're entitled to if your plane is simply cancelled |
| 0:58.5 | or very, very delayed. The air passenger rights rules that we have in the UK are basically |
| 1:07.1 | the same rules as we had when the UK was a member of the European Parliament. |
| 1:13.2 | And they spell out an absolutely clear duty of care when things go wrong. |
| 1:20.6 | If your flight is typically more than around three hours late, |
| 1:25.3 | then the airline needs to provide you with refreshments. If it turns into an |
| 1:30.9 | overnight delay, well, that means accommodation as well. And despite what some airlines at some |
| 1:38.8 | stages will pretend, it isn't to do with whether or not this is their fault. It is an absolutely strict liability. |
| 1:47.0 | If they won't feed you, if they won't provide accommodation, then you are entitled to pay for that yourself and claim it back. |
| 1:58.0 | Now clearly don't go wild. If there's a Premier Inn and a Ritz Carlton, one of them |
| 2:03.9 | 50 quid, the other one, 250 quid, you are going to be expected to go for the cheaper option. |
| 2:09.8 | But if you do that, then you simply send the bill to the airline afterwards. But remind them at the time of the delay that it is their obligation |
| 2:21.1 | to find accommodation for you and that if they choose not to do that then you will be making |
| 2:27.9 | your own arrangements. The trouble is you're still not where you need to be and what happens |
| 2:33.9 | there? Well again fortunately the rules are very clear. |
| 2:38.0 | If your flight is cancelled, then the airline has to find another way of getting you to your destination. |
... |
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