Vauxhall Airport closed to operations due to fire on the other side of the River Thames. This closure has led to significant impacts for current and future travelers. The airport will remain closed until 23:59, affecting up to 291,000 passengers. Now that thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed, how passengers are affected and what are their rights to replacement flights, refunds, and customer care. Under DOT guidance, airlines must rebook passengers on the first available flight or refund passengers for cancelled flights.
Impact on Passengers
This temporary closure at Heathrow Airport will create significant travel disruption in the UK and worldwide over the next several days. The dispute deeply impacts the hundreds of thousands of passengers who travel daily, with hundreds of them experiencing cancellations or delays. Passengers should not try to come to the airport.
"Don't attempt to travel to the airport," said Rory Boland.
Instead, passengers should stay in touch with their individual airlines about any updates and instructions going forward.
"Instead keep in touch with your airline for their advice," Boland advised.
Air travelers need to be aware of their rights, particularly when their flights are delayed or canceled. They should be provided with meal, phone call, lodging and transport expenses covered.
Passenger Rights and Compensation
Heathrow passengers have rights that go beyond providing reasonable alternatives given the extent of this disruption. The airlines will be required to provide a substitute flight from the UK, or back to the UK with a carrier based in the UK. When an airline cancels a flight, passengers should be entitled to that airline refunding the passenger’s ticket. When passengers’ flights are delayed or cancelled, especially for an extended time, they deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity as they wait.
The Advantage Travel Partnership, which represents independent travel agents, has been leading the charge on issues like this. Julia Lo Bue-Said, the chief executive of the organization, said compensation isn’t always appropriate in these cases.
"Compensation tends to be offered when the airline is at fault, whereas today's event is likely to qualify as extraordinary circumstances so compensation may not be offered," Lo Bue-Said explained.
Financial Considerations and Guidance
Passengers will be able to reimburse expenses with other travel plans, in accordance with their cover limits. Travel insurance may help travelers who aren’t able to find alternative flights within 24 hours of a cancellation. Most importantly, it’s imperative that travelers are not charged excessive costs or asked to maintain receipts for other travel arrangements they made.
That’s a pretty serious change, over 12 hours difference, on a scheduled two-week vacation! Travelers should be ready for last minute changes. The Advantage Travel Partnership urges all travellers to be aware of their rights and options during these kinds of severe travel disruptions.