Simon Calder has warned British Airways and easyJet passengers that they will not receive cash compensation after thunderstorms forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights over the weekend. The aviation expert estimated that around 40,000 travellers were left stranded as services were disrupted at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
What happened over the weekend?
Severe thunderstorms swept across South-East England and North-West Europe on Saturday, causing air traffic control restrictions. Heathrow and Gatwick, already operating at full capacity on a summer Saturday, faced major delays. According to the Express, more than 900 inbound and outbound flights were delayed, some by up to 11 hours, and dozens were cancelled entirely.
British Airways cancelled around 100 flights, including an Airbus A380 superjumbo service to and from Los Angeles. EasyJet cancelled 82 flights, including long-haul routes to Hurghada in Egypt and Antalya in Turkey. The disruption continued into Sunday, with dozens more flights grounded.
What are passengers entitled to?
Calder explained that under EU air passenger rights rules, airlines must get passengers to their destination as soon as possible, including booking them on another airline if necessary. Airlines are also required to provide hotel accommodation and meals while passengers wait. However, Calder stated: “You will not, though, be getting any cash compensation.”
He added: “It has been a miserable Saturday for 30,000 or more passengers on British Airways to and from London Heathrow and easyJet in and out of Gatwick. The reason? Thunderstorms in the London area have caused air traffic control restrictions, and as those airports are operating at full stretch, especially on Saturdays in summer, unfortunately there's no slack in the system, and the biggest airlines at those airports have no option but to cancel flights.”
Official statements
NATS, the UK's air traffic control provider, issued a statement on Saturday afternoon: “Severe thunderstorms across the south east of England and Europe continue to impact flights, and this is expected to continue for the remainder of today and overnight. To ensure the safety of the travelling public, aircraft need to avoid affected areas and be spaced further apart, which limits the number of flights that can operate safely. We understand disruption is frustrating, but we're working closely with airlines and airports to reduce disruption as much as possible. Passengers should continue to contact their airline for the latest information on their flight.”
Impact on passengers
Calder noted that the total number of passengers whose flights were cancelled over the weekend reached around 40,000. He urged affected travellers to contact their airlines for rebooking and support, but reiterated that cash compensation is not applicable because the cancellations were caused by extraordinary weather circumstances.
