22 Aug Brits wasted 28 million hours waiting for delayed flights last year

Brits wasted 28 million hours waiting for delayed flights last year

New figures show the staggering time airline passengers spent grounded in 2018.

Flight delays are incredibly frustrating. Just as you are gearing up to set off on a family holiday, a business trip, or an important journey home, you are hit with “DELAYED” signs on the departure board.

This can wreak havoc in your journey plans, causing missed connecting flights, missed weddings, cancelled holidays, and can potentially rack up significant unexpected costs.

New data from the Civil Aviation Authority has shown that many of us experienced this frustration last year. We spent 28 million hours waiting for our flights to leave, a figure which equates to one million days.

With us currently being amidst the peak travel season in 2019, we are certain there will be a lot more disruption this year.

Luckily for UK passengers, under EU rules, if a flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours, you may be entitled to up to €600, per person. This compensation, however, is dependent on a few factors.

Am I eligible for compensation for a flight delay?

On 17th February 2005, the European Commission introduced a new law called the EU Regulation 261/2004. This is known as the “Flight Compensation Regulation” and it established rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays of flights.

Under these rules, EU passengers may be able to claim up to €600 (£550 depending on exchange rates) per passenger. However, passengers will need to answer “yes” to all of the below questions:

• Were you delayed by more than three hours?
• Was the delay not due to “extraordinary circumstances” that were outside the control of the airline?
• Did your flight depart from the EU or arrive in the EU, or was the flight on an EU-based airline?
• Was your flight within the last six years?

If you answer yes to all of those questions, it is very likely you are owed compensation from your airline.

How much compensation am I going to receive?

If your claim is successful, the amount of compensation recovered is determined by the length of the delay along with the distance travelled.

Please see below the Flight Compensation calculation table:

Which countries fall within the EU?

How can Smooth Law help?

Smooth Law have a team of Flight Compensation specialists with a wealth of knowledge in the Flight Compensation industry, making claiming easy and hassle-free. You simply provide us with the information required and we will do the rest.

We work on a strict “No win, No fee” agreement. 

If you have been affected by the cancellations and delays caused by British Airways IT failures, complete our enquiry form for free today to find out if you have compensation. Click here now.