Plans for Christmas and New Year’s trips have been overshadowed by disruption. Border Force strikes at six UK airports, industrial action and engineering on railways and severe weather conditions in the US are among the issues that have been affecting travellers.
Each of these problems was tricky, if not impossible, to predict weeks or months in advance. Yet arming oneself with knowledge of your rights and having a contingency plan in place will help to ease stress while travelling in 2023. Keep in mind that both Border Force strikes and industrial action by rail workers is set to continue into the new year.
We’ve compiled ten simple tips to navigate travel disruption.
Know your flight cancellation rights
If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, it is your right to cancel and request a refund or to be re-routed. If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to receive a refund within seven days or to be offered an alternative service on the same route (this can include a service with a rival carrier). If staff are not available to assist, you can book a replacement flight and claim back the cost.
And your compensation rights
Passengers on flights with a UK or EU-based airline or arriving or departing from the UK or within the EU have a right to compensation for delays of more than three hours (based on the arrival time, unless the delay is due to an “extraordinary circumstance” (such as adverse weather conditions or industrial action by Border Force).
The amount of compensation due depends on the length of the flight; for short haul (under 1,500km) £220; medium haul (1,500–3,500km) £350; long haul (more than 3,500km) £520 or £260 if the delay is less than four hours.
Avoid expenses
Airlines have a duty of care to passengers during delays of more than two hours, even if the delay is beyond the control of the airline. A member of the carrier’s staff may provide affected customers with food and drink vouchers. If the delay is overnight, you should also be provided with accommodation and transport to and from that accommodation, if needed. When airline staff are not around to provide assistance, then travellers should pay for these themselves and keep receipts in order to claim back charges from the airline. Costs should be kept to a reasonable amount.
Keep up to date
Airlines may keep passengers informed about disruption via text, email or a dedicated airline app. Using an airline app with notifications turned on can help keep you informed of any last-minute changes. Flight tracking websites and apps, such as FlightAware, Flightradar24, Radarbox.com and Planefinder.net let you check the status of your flight.
Flightradar24 suggests checking for potential disruptions a few days before departure, using the flight number and viewing past flight history to see if a flight is consistently delayed or generally arrives on time.
It is generally not worthwhile arriving at the airport earlier than specified by your airline. Nicky Kelvin, Head of the Points Guy UK, says: “While the natural instinct would be to arrive much earlier due to the disruption, it’s worth checking the exact situation at the airport you’ll be travelling from.
“Most airlines and airports don’t open check-in until a certain amount of time before a flight’s departure time, so if you’re checking bags in and need to collect boarding passes, you may not be able to do that until three hours before your flight anyway.”
Choose carry-on only
Travelling without checking in luggage can cut time at either end of your journey. Shorter trips on which you’re travelling without children will make it easier to stick to cabin bags.
However, your airline might have a more generous carry-on allowance than you’d expect. British Airways, for example, allows two bags of up to 23kg per person for cabin luggage. This allowance includes limits on dimensions: one hand bag (up to 40 x 30 x 15cm) and one cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25cm). If you are flying with one of the airlines codeshare partners, however, the cabin baggage policy of that airline will apply.
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Check in with your airport
UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester provide details of current wait times for security on their website or app. You can also check the expected departure or arrival times of flights via the airport. Follow their social media feeds for updates on significant delays or disruption.
Have a plan B
Whether you have tight timeframe to make a connecting flight or are travelling to a destination affected by adverse weather, planning for potential points of disruption may ease your pre-travel concerns. Typically, first and business class passengers will have access to airline lounges. If you have a substantial delay, but are travelling on an economy ticket, it is worth asking your airline if they can provide free access to a lounge.
Alternatively, a pass may buy you entrance to airport lounges that are operated by companies such as Swissport; some can be accessible for free. These lounges should be more comfortable than general airport waiting areas and free food and drink is typically provided. The website loungebuddy.co.uk lists thousands of airport lounges around the world, with details of the services on offer and which you can pay to access.
Meanwhile, Rob Burgess of frequent flyer website Head for Points suggests researching airport hotels in both directions in case of any delays or cancellations. He adds: “Should you be affected by significant delays, letting the airport operators know your preference might save you being automatically placed in one of the less desirable local hotels for the night.”
Claim a refund or compensation during rail strikes
If you’ve bought a ticket and your train is cancelled, even during a strike, you are entitled to either a full refund or a free ticket change for a later journey. You are due either a refund or ticket change regardless of the type of ticket you purchased. You can also get a refund on a pre-booked ticket if you decide not to travel during the strikes. Travellers must claim back their money or seek a ticket exchange through the company they booked with.
If your train runs during a strike, but is delayed by 15 minutes or more, you are due “delay repay” compensation. You can claim back a part of your ticket cost, with the percentage rising depending on the length of the delay. If you are delayed by 120 minutes or more, for example, you can claim back the full cost of a single or return ticket.
Swap trains for coaches (or buses)
Coach travel can be slow and coach networks have fewer options than rail. However, services are unaffected by strike action and are often more cost-effective than taking a train. Coach journeys can start from as little as £5 on National Express and £1 with Megabus.
Meanwhile, bus travel has been capped at £2 for a single journey between January and March 2023.
Pack entertainment
Most pertinent to those travelling with under-18s, but useful for all: from tablets filled with downloaded films, television shows and games to books or magazines, entertainment will help pass the time during delays.
Noel Josephides, chairman of Sunvil Holidays, says: “Expect the worst and plan for it: phones fully charged to keep children entertained, their favourite sandwiches, snacks and drinks readily to hand – and if you are not delayed, brilliant.”
Include a portable phone charger and an adapter for your destination country in your hand luggage to top up devices as you go.