Transport secretary outlines new Charter to ensure travellers know their rights this summer
The transport secretary today outlined a new Charter to ensure that travellers know their rights when it comes to flight delays and cancellations this summer.
The government’s Aviation Passenger Charter, which was developed alongside industry, consumer and disability groups, seeks to give holidaymakers confidence for their travels, from booking, all the way to their return to the UK.
“Passengers deserve reliable services, and to be properly compensated if things don’t go to plan, and the chaotic scenes we’ve seen at airports scenes are unacceptable,” transport minister Grant Shapps said in a statement.
The Charter means travellers subject to cancelled flights are given accommodation, as well as transport from the airport to where they will stay temporarily until their next flight.
If flights are more than three hours late, due to delays with the airline, customers are entitled to between £110 and £520 in compensation, depending on how long the flight has been delayed and its destination.
Flyers are also entitled to up to £1,000 in compensation for lost luggage.
If mobility equipment is lost or damaged during travel, the airline must also provide compensation, as well as efforts to offer temporary equipment or arrangements made for your onward transport.
Heathrow was forced to apologise to travellers last week for unacceptable service, after its efforts to quickly rebuild its processing capacity post-lockdown fell flat.
The hub – which reported that six million passengers passed through its gates in June – apologised to those affected by the ongoing chaos, saying it might ask airlines to cut additional flights to guarantee smoother operations.