Your Rights When Flights Are Cancelled or Delayed at Manchester Airport
Snow disruptions at Manchester Airport raise questions about passenger rights and compensation
Manchester, UK, Flight Delays, Snow, Passenger Rights
Manchester: This week, the weather has really thrown a wrench in travel plans. With temperatures dropping and snow piling up, it’s been a mess.
Roads, trains, and buses are all feeling the pinch, but Manchester Airport has had it particularly rough. They had to shut down runways on four different days just to clear the snow.
On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, they paused operations to let their snow-clearing teams do their thing. Even when flights started up again, the delays kept piling on, leaving passengers pretty frustrated.
On Tuesday, January 7, the airport was blanketed in snow, making things even trickier. Delays happen when planes miss their take-off slots, and that can mean waiting around for hours. Sometimes, flights even get cancelled.
If your flight gets delayed or cancelled because of the snow, you might be wondering what your options are. Unfortunately, when it comes to extreme weather, getting compensation is pretty unlikely.
Naomi Leach from Which? Travel explains that passengers affected by the closures won’t get compensation since it’s out of the airlines’ hands. But airlines still have a duty to help those impacted.
If your flight is delayed for over two hours, they should provide assistance like meal vouchers or even a place to stay if needed. If your flight is cancelled, you can either get a refund or be rerouted on the next available flight. It’s usually better to choose the reroute option, as the airline has to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, even if it means booking you on another airline.
Sometimes, airlines can be a bit hesitant to book you on a competitor’s flight, so don’t hesitate to remind them of their obligation if it gets you there faster.
If you’re flying today, make sure to give yourself extra time and check in with your airline for the latest updates. Also, take a look at your travel insurance to see if you can cover any extra costs from the delays, like car rentals or parking fees.
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