In light of the recent chaos surrounding Ryanair cancelling flights and the folding of Monarch, passengers have been left stranded at their locations. Some were reported to be covered by insurance and others not.
Depending on with whom you booked your flights and/or holidays, you would be completely covered, whilst others who returned to the United Kingdom will have to fend for themselves. This got us thinking about what to do in case your flight gets cancelled and you’re stranded, the flight is delayed or in the rare instance where your airline shuts operations overnight.
Claiming compensation will work in many instances. If your flight has been cancelled or delayed by more than three hours you will be entitled to some compensation from the airline. Under European Union laws, passengers are entitled up to €600/£500 worth of compensation if your flight lands three hours or more late at your destination. However, if this is caused by something extraordinary such as bad weather or strikes, anything which is out of the airline’s control, they are not obliged to pay you compensation.
In the case of Monarch, when the airline goes bust, things get a little more complicated. One of the main things to look out for when booking a trip in the United Kingdom is to check that it is ATOL protected. The Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) is a scheme to give financial protection to people who have purchased package holidays from a member operator. Meaning you’ll be provided refunds if an event causes the airline to be unable to provide the travel to you. If passengers are stranded as well it will provide flights and accommodations in order to return you home safely.
In addition to this, your credit card (if you have one) provides an ideal option for you to finance your trip, whilst keeping yourself protected. Credit cards can get a bad rap for lumbering users with debt, but it is possible to have a decent card which gives you air miles and added protection should anything happen to you on holiday. Credit cards usually cover any booking over £100 and will give you a refund for your trip. However, they’re unlikely to help you when you’ve travelled out already.
