Those looking to travel abroad this summer may be interested in new research undertaken by the website ‘flightright.co.uk’ which specializes in helping people receive compensation from airports should their flight have been delayed or cancelled.
As one in five flights experience delays, the website have compiled data on those countries which are the most likely to suffer from this inconvenience. Their data confirms that 51% of UK flights to Portugal last year were delayed or cancelled. Other countries in the study affected by delays and cancellations were France (45%), Spain (37%), and Turkey (33%). Greece and Egypt were the most reliable destinations, with Egypt suffering only 19% delays and Greece coming out on top with 14%.
The study into the flight performance of UK airports concluded that Heathrow was the worst offender for delayed and cancelled flights with 54% experiencing the problem. Gatwick came out second with 40% and Manchester third with 29%.
The research will be of interest to anybody leaving the country this year and it is worth understanding your rights if your flight suffers from significant delays or cancellations. Whilst the figures reported by the website are based on 2014 data, it could alter travellers holiday plans as they consider destinations and airports to travel from. Legally they say, people are entitled to compensation should their flight be delayed or cancelled for more than two hours. For example those suffering a delay of 4 hours are entitled to £500.Not only are passengers eligible for compensation, ‘flightright’ states that they are also entitled to receive care benefits from the airline. This includes any transportation and accommodation costs covered should you require it, and free drinks and meals as you wait.
Not many people are aware of the compensation owed to them in the event of problems with their flight. As the summer sees more people heading abroad this year and with flight numbers increasing, you may be one of those affected. Knowing your rights will make suffering any potential delays that bit more tolerable.