Selina Chadha, Group Director for Consumers at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Passengers are advised not to travel to Heathrow at this time and should contact their airlines for the latest flight updates. We appreciate the difficulties that travel disruption causes, and we expect airlines to take all necessary steps to support and assist their passengers during this period of disruption. The Civil Aviation Authority remains in close contact with Heathrow Airport, airlines, and the Government during this time.”
Heathrow Airport is closed today due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation, affecting the supply of power to its terminals. Unfortunately, this means that today’s flights to and from the airport have been cancelled. The knock-on effect may also lead to delays and further cancellations over the weekend.
Flights that had already departed that were due to land at the airport had to be diverted to other airports.
Air passenger rights
When flights are delayed and cancelled, we expect airlines to minimise the overall impact on you by keeping you informed and looking after you.
In many cases you will be protected by rights which are set out in UK legislation. The table below provides guidance on whether your flight is covered by UK legislation:
| Flight Itinerary | UK or EU Air Carrier | Non-UK / Non-EU Air Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Departing from Heathrow | ✔️ Covered | ✔️ Covered |
| Arriving to Heathrow | ✔️ Covered | ❌ Not Covered |
Whether these rights apply or not, we encourage airlines to do all they can to minimise the overall impact to their passengers.
Flight Cancellations
If your flight from Heathrow Airport has been cancelled
Please do not go to the airport and contact your airline for further advice.
Your airline is required to offer you the choice of a refund or find you an alternative flight (referred to as “re-routing”). Re-routing should be at the earliest opportunity or at a later date at your convenience, subject to availability.
Unfortunately, it may be challenging for airlines to offer re-routing during periods of major disruption, especially when an airport is closed at short notice. This may mean that your airline may not be able to get you to your destination as quickly as any of us would like. Nevertheless, if you still wish to get to your destination, we expect your airline to do all it can to offer you an alternative flight and keep you updated.
If your airline is unable to proactively offer you care, or offer suitable replacement flights, we expect it to promptly reimburse you for the costs you incur making your own arrangements. Make sure you keep receipts and avoid incurring excessive costs.
If your flight to Heathrow has been cancelled
We realise that being unable to travel home as planned will be concerning for you. We expect your airline to update you and advise you of your rights.
If your flight is covered by UK passenger rights legislation, your airline will be required by law to get you home and look after you while you wait by providing meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the length of time you are delayed.
To get you home, your airline is required to find you an alternative flight (referred to as “re-routing”). Re-routing should be at the earliest opportunity or at a later date at your convenience, subject to availability.
Unfortunately, it may be challenging for airlines to offer re-routing during periods of major disruption, especially when an airport is closed at short notice. This may mean that your airline may not be able to get you home as quickly as any of us would like. Nevertheless, we expect your airline to do all it can to offer you an alternative flight and keep you updated.
If your airline is unable to proactively offer you care, or offer suitable replacement flights, we expect it to promptly reimburse you for the costs you incur making your own arrangements. Make sure you keep receipts and avoid incurring excessive costs.
Different rights apply if your airline is not a UK or EU carrier. Please speak to your airline or check its website for more information about your rights.
Diverted flights
If your flight was diverted because it could not land at Heathrow and your flight is covered by UK passenger rights legislation, your airline should provide onward transportation (this may be by other means) to get you to Heathrow. It should also look after you and provide you with meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation while you wait, proportionate to the length of your delay.
If your airline is unable to proactively offer you care, or offer onward transportation, we expect it to promptly reimburse you for the costs you incur making your own arrangements. Make sure you keep receipts and avoid incurring excessive costs.
Different rights apply if your airline is not a UK or EU carrier. Please speak to your airline or check its website for more information about your rights.
If you are travelling on a package holiday
If you booked a package holiday, you may also benefit from additional rights, particularly if this means that your original package cannot be provided.
If flight delays or cancellations lead to your holiday being cancelled, or new arrangements are made that result in a significant change to your holiday, then your travel company must offer an alternative holiday if they can, or a refund for the full price of your package holiday.
Flight Delays
If your flight from Heathrow Airport is delayed
Your airline should look after you and provide you with meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the length of your delay.
If your flight to Heathrow Airport is delayed
If your flight is covered by UK passenger rights legislation, your airline should look after you and provide you with meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the length of your delay.
Different rights apply if your airline is not a UK or EU carrier. Please speak to your airline or check its website for more information about your rights.
Fixed sum compensation
In addition to their obligations to look after passengers, as set out above, airlines are sometimes required to provide fixed sum compensation to passengers in certain circumstances.
Although we recognise the adverse impacts these delays and cancellations will have on passengers, the disruptions directly caused by the closure of Heathrow Airport are likely to be viewed as “extraordinary circumstances”. As a result, you are unlikely to be entitled to fixed sum compensation.
Extraordinary circumstances do not affect your other entitlements to replacement flights and care set out above — these are due regardless of the cause of your delay or cancellation.
Notes
The Civil Aviation Authority’s interpretation of extraordinary circumstances is illustrative and for guidance only, rather than determinative of our view in any specific case that may arise. Each case will be context and fact specific. This does not mean that a passenger or group of passengers cannot try and claim compensation, including through the courts, if they disagree with our interpretation.
The protections set out above are based on Assimilated Regulation 261/2004 which collectively apply to all flights departing from the UK, and flights arriving into the UK on UK and EU carriers. Different rights may apply to passengers arriving on flights to the UK operated by non-EU carriers such as flights from the USA on US carriers.
Civil Aviation Authority News
Heathrow Airport. Mike McBey CC BY 2.0
