What to Do if your Flight is Canceled or Delayed

Facing a flight delay or flight cancellation is not something new. Most people who use flights in and around the UK and EU and indeed foreign destinations are faced with this problem. And when it comes to dealing with flight delays and cancellations, it must be said that there is no standard solution most of the time.

There are regulatory norms in place that place a certain minimum responsibility on flight operators. Even then, the seasoned traveler would look ahead and think for themselves when tackling an issue with canceled or delayed flights.

Discussed at length are some possible actions that travelers could take when faced with a flight disruption at any time.

1. Getting In Touch with An Agent

Once a traveler has been notified of a flight disruption, the first step is to get in touch with a travel agent. The agent could represent the booking office where you bought the ticket or the help center of the airline you are traveling with. It is vital at the start of the disruption that the traveler needs to know what his options are before moving on.

Getting in touch with an agent can be a very confusing event. Most of the time, the agents themselves would be overwhelmed by inquiries about flight status. They may not apply themselves to the problem you are presenting them with.

The travel agent is the right person to reroute you and place you on an alternate flight to the destination. It might take some time to get an alternate routing done for the passenger, depending on why the flight was canceled in the first place.

2. Asking For a Refund

If the concerned airline cancels the flight or there is an inordinate delay, it is within your rights to ask for a refund of the money paid. TUI flight delay compensation policies are transparent when dealing with flight delays for flights booked through them. Most travel agents have similar approaches to handling irate passengers and those seeking redressal.

Rarely do flight operators compensate the traveler in terms of hard cash at the counter for delays and cancellations. But they have been known to happen from time to time. But the norm is to have the flight charges refunded to the point of payment being done.

3. Review The Airline’s Refund Policy

Most travelers do not pay sufficient attention to the ticket refund policy when booking an onward flight. This could be because a cancellation or delay would be the least on their minds when booking a flight. When faced with an inevitable delay or cancellation, it is best to review the concerned airline’s refund policy.

British Airways flight delay compensation is comprehensive when dealing with unpleasant delays or cancellations. They tend to take the sting out of putting up with a load of trouble and extra expense to reach where you must. Sometimes the delays could cause the traveler to spend the night at a hotel nearby, and there are policies that govern how such cases must be handled.

4. Getting Rerouted

Very few airlines would willingly give you a refund or put you on another airline without any extra charges being levied. But it is advisable to talk to the airline representative and try to get on to the next available flight without a change charge being imposed on the passenger.

It is common practice among airlines to have code-sharing agreements with other airline companies. It essentially means that both airlines tend to synergize their operations to some extent. Thus, it would be a good idea to speak to the agent to have your travel rescheduled with an airline with a code-sharing agreement with the present airline.

This would provide an alternate solution to the problem without much of a charge being levied on you. It could also mean a seamless detour to the original program as well.

Conclusion

Flight cancellation or delay is not the most pleasant of situations to handle at any given time. But it helps to be aware of your options when such a situation does arise. Most airlines would help passengers move on to alternatives, which is just as convenient.