British Airways delays today – how to claim compensation if your flight is delayed or cancelled
THOUSANDS of British Airways passengers across the world have had their flights delayed or cancelled today after an IT glitch crashed online check-in.
Tourists travelling from airports such as London, Tokyo and Delhi, have been reporting delays and chaos since 4.30am.
BA said it's unclear just how widespread the issue is but that it's not a global outage.
It's the third major IT outage for BA in two years after 672 flights were cancelled over a May Bank holiday in 2017 and another glitch in July last year.
Here are your rights if your flight has been affected:
How do I find out if my flight has been cancelled or delayed?
BA is advising all passengers due to fly with the airline today to check the latest flight information before coming to the airport.
The airline says it is working "as quickly as possible" to fix the issue and that the situation may be liable to change at short notice, so you'll need to keep checking.
Can I get a refund if my flight's been cancelled or delayed?
If your flight has been cancelled and you're travelling from an EU airport then you're protected by the Denied Boarding regulations.
It means that BA must offer you either a refund for a cancelled flight or to be rerouted on either the next possible flight or on an agree date.
BA has said that it is currently offering customers booked on short-haul services departing from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City today alternative flights.
These are unlikely to be today, and will be between August 8 and 13 instead.
You may also be able to claim some money back if your flight has been delayed by three hours or more, and you were flying from or to a European airport, or with an EU-based airline such as Ryanair or BA.
If you opt for a full refund instead, then the airline has to give you your money back for the part of the journey that wasn't made and any parts already made that are then useless.
You are also entitled to the earliest possible return flight.
If you choose not to accept alternative plans and take the refund instead, then you won't be able to claim any further compensation.
BELEAGUERED BA'S PROBLEMS
BRITISH Airways passengers this morning have been left frustrated by an IT glitch causing widespread delays.
But it's just the latest in a string of problems to affect the flag carrier airline of the UK.
The airline was last month fined £183.4million after card details of 400,000 customers were stolen from its website and app.
The personal and financial details of customers making bookings between August 21 and September 5 were stolen.
Meanwhile, BA is facing two strikes at the end of this month over pay.
The potential strikes could result in chaos across the country if it goes ahead as planned with up to 4,000 pilots walking out.
Earlier this year, BA was left red-faced after a flight from London to Dusseldorf ended up in Edinburgh.
Passengers were also left frustrated after a baggage meltdown at Heathrow Airport last month.
And just this week, a BA plane had to make an emergency landing in Valencia after the cabin filled with smoke.
The flight of 175 customers was evacuated as passengers were left coughing from the "burning" smell.
Can I get compensation for disruption to my flight?
You may be able to compensation on top of your refund as a way of making up for the disruption the check-in glitch has caused you.
Under EU rules, you may get up to €250 (£222) for short-haul flights, up to €400 (£356) for mid-haul flights, and up to €600 (£534) for long-haul flights for cancellations.
If you were flying with an international airline outside of the EU then you won't be covered by the EU flight delay compensation scheme.
But the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says that these airlines are recommended to offer a later flight, alternative transport or a refund by the International Air Transport Association.
You should also check whether the rules in the country whether the airline is based as it may offer a similar compensation scheme.
Alternatively, you may be able to get some of the your money back by complaining to the airline.
To claim, you'll need to contact the airline directly through the customer services department, and provide your flight details and booking reference numbers.
Top 10 worst routes for flight delays:
THESE are the 10 most delayed flights from the UK, according to Which?:
- Stansted to Dalaman – Thomas Cook
- Liverpool John Lennon to Milan Malpensa – Ryanair
- Stansted to Antalya – Thomas Cook
- Stansted to Nice – Ryanair
- Stansted to Leipzig – Ryanair
- Bristol to Bergamo – Ryanair
- Stansted to Luxembourg – Ryanair
- Stansted to Billund – Ryanair
- Stansted to Bari Palese – Ryanair
- Stansted to Ibiza – easyJet
You should also put your complaint in writing either by a letter or an email stating what went wrong and what you want the airline to give you.
Consumer group Which? has a template letter you can use to help you with this.
Citizens Advice says you should keep records of everything, including copies of your claim and responses from the airline.
If you're not getting anywhere, you should report the issue to the CAA.
Compensation payouts for delays and cancellations hit a five-year high last year – with over £400,000 paid to passengers.
Will BA pay for food and accommodation if I'm stuck at the airport?
Under EU rules, the airline has an obligation to provide you with food and drink regardless of why your flight has been delayed.
You're entitled to the handout, or vouchers to buy food and drink, if you're delayed by more than two hours on a short-haul flight, three hours on a medium haul flight or four hours for long haul.
You may be able to buy food and drink yourself and claim it back from the airline but always keep the receipts – and only reasonable expenses are covered.
If you're delayed overnight or have agreed to an alternative flight on another day, you're entitled to a hotel and transport to and from the accommodating.
It must also provide you with a "means of communication" so the airline will have to cover the costs of any phone bills you've amassed because of the delays – but only relevant calls will be covered.
Can I claim on my insurance?
You may be able to get your money back through your insurance, depending on the policy that you took out.
You should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
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