“Facing the prospect of a delayed flight can leave my passengers feeling frustrated and anxious, so it’s important to understand how you should approach the situation if you were to discover your upcoming flight is going to be delayed for a long period of time.”
Travel professional at Travel Lens, Blake Walsh, feedback on the steps passengers ought to take if their flight is delayed and whether or not they’re entitled to compensation.
1 – Speak to the airline’s customer support crew
If you’re capable of converse to a consultant of the airline on the airport then nice, however in some instances, it’s extra environment friendly to ring the customer support crew. The workers members on the airport can have a flight load of individuals to attempt to accommodate for and they’re going to solely give you the chance to take action a lot, so ringing the customer support line might show to be faster and extra helpful to you.
2 – Use social media to your benefit
Sadly, not all customer support groups are as useful as they need to be and getting in contact with them through a telephone name isn’t all the time straightforward. Airlines worth their fame on social media and platforms like Twitter are a good way to get in touch with an worker. If you do use Twitter to achieve out, then it’s necessary to stay well mannered and calm as this may work in your favor.
3 – Check your insurance coverage paperwork
If your flight is delayed for an extended time frame, then it’s value checking your insurance coverage coverage. Not all insurance policies will cowl flight disruption, however most will, so it’s value studying your coverage intimately as chances are you’ll be lined and never need to probably pay out for an alternate methodology of transport or lodging, which would be the case for a passenger with no insurance coverage.
4 – Understand your rights as a passenger
If your flight is delayed for a sure period of time then the vast majority of airways are anticipated to re-book you onto an upcoming flight, however in some instances, you’re entitled to greater than only a new flight ticket. It’s necessary to grasp your rights as you might be able to declare again bills for foods and drinks, in addition to lodging because of the delayed flight, so make sure to preserve maintain of any receipts you’ve gotten.
5 – Arrive on the airport early
If you discover your flight has been delayed earlier than you get to the airport, then it’s clever to depart early so you will get to the check-in desk and attempt to safe an alternate flight. Most individuals touring on the identical flight will need an alternate flight as quickly as doable, nevertheless it’s unlikely that every one passengers can be accommodated for, so it’s greatest to reach early to make sure you have the most effective likelihood of being given an alternate ticket.
Walsh added: “In most cases, a flight will only be delayed for a short period of time but if you are facing long delays, then you could be entitled to compensation, but it’s not as straightforward as what it might sound. Firstly, before you can start the process of securing compensation, there are a number of factors you need to consider, such as the length of the delay, the distance of your flight and the airline you’re traveling with.”
“For example, if you are traveling on a domestic flight which has been delayed for between 1 to 2 hours after the original arrival time, you could be entitled to a maximum compensation of $675 and for international flights, the delay time is extended to between 1-4 hours. This is only a guideline and as previously mentioned, there are a number of factors to consider before being awarded compensation, but it’s important to know that passengers do have certain rights if their flight is delayed.”