A major disruption to the UK’s air traffic control system, NATS, led to the cancellation of around 2,000 flights and disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. Heathrow, Gatwick and other major airports continued to feel the effects of the disruption for some time, as aircraft and crews had to be redirected to their intended routes. Most passengers are unlikely to be entitled to financial compensation of up to £520 in this instance, but they retain the right to a refund of their ticket price, an alternative flight, meals and accommodation.
- Around 2,000 flights have been cancelled in the UK due to a NATS disruption.
- The CAA considers the incident to be a probable case of «extraordinary circumstances».
- Consequently, the standard compensation of up to £520 may not be paid to most of those affected.
- If a flight is cancelled, the passenger is entitled to a refund or an alternative flight.
- The airline must pay for meals and, if necessary, accommodation and transfers.
- If the carrier has not provided assistance, you may claim reimbursement of reasonable expenses by presenting receipts.
What has happened to flights in the UK?
On 8 September, a British air traffic control operator NATS There was a serious technical fault in the flight data processing system.
Due to the problem, air traffic in British airspace was severely restricted. The country’s largest airports were particularly affected, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.
According to estimates by the aviation analytics firm Cirium, over the course of two days, the incident disrupted around 2,000 flights. On Tuesday alone, around 30% scheduled flights from UK airports were cancelled.
Ryanair has announced the cancellation of 260 flights, which were due to carry around 48,000 passengers. British Airways By the following day, it had cancelled around 190 flights, and some of the aircraft had to be rerouted.
Even after the system was back up and running, the problems did not end there: the aircraft and crews found themselves at the wrong airports for their next flights.
Will passengers receive compensation of up to £520?
It is here that there is an important difference between compensation і a refund for the ticket or compensation for expenses incurred during the delay.
Under the UK261 rules, a passenger may be entitled to a fixed amount of compensation under certain conditions:
| Flight distance | Compensation may be available |
|---|---|
| up to 1500 km | £220 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | £350 |
| over 3,500 km | up to £520 |
The amount is determined by the distance and, in certain cases, by the length of the delay in reaching the final destination.
However, the UK Civil Aviation Authority CAA has already stated that the NATS disruption on 8 September will most likely be regarded as extraordinary circumstances — exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the airlines.
This means that if a flight has been cancelled or delayed as a direct result of a NATS disruption or its direct consequences, the airline will most likely, will not be obliged to pay compensation of between £220 and £520.
At the same time, the CAA emphasises that each case depends on the specific circumstances. A passenger may make a claim if they believe that the airline’s own actions were the cause of the subsequent delay.
Flight cancelled: you’re still entitled to a refund
Lack of standard compensation does not mean that the passenger loses all their rights.
If a flight is cancelled and falls under UK regulations, the airline must offer a choice:
refund the money for the unused part of the ticket or to transport the passenger to their destination on another flight.
Furthermore, passengers can choose to rebook for the earliest possible date or postpone their journey to a later date.
The CAA also notes that where another airline can transport a passenger considerably earlier than the carrier from whom the ticket was purchased, in certain cases A passenger is entitled to to request suitable alternative transport.
In other words, if an airline suggests waiting several days for its own flight, even though another carrier has seats available much sooner, it is worth contacting customer support and asking about rerouting at the earliest opportunity.
Who will pay for the hotel, food and taxis?
Passengers retain their right to assistance even when the airline is not to blame for the fault itself.
In the event of a significant delay, the carrier must ensure that:
- food and drink in accordance with the length of the wait;
- communication capability;
- a hotel, if you need to stay overnight;
- transport between the airport and the hotel.
If an airline has been unable to arrange meals or accommodation, the CAA allows passengers to pay for these themselves reasonable and necessary expenses, and then claim reimbursement for them.
The main thing is — keep all receipts.
You shouldn’t expect to be reimbursed for an expensive five-star hotel, alcohol or a lavish dinner. The airline is entitled to refuse to reimburse any expenses it deems unreasonable.
What to do if your flight is delayed by more than five hours
If the flight has not been cancelled but the departure has been delayed by at least five hours, a passenger may cancel their journey and request a refund for the unused ticket.
For journeys involving changes, the rules may be more complicated.
If the entire route has been purchased in a single booking, the airline has greater obligations regarding delivery to the final destination.
If, however, a passenger has purchased two separate, independent tickets — a so-called self-transfer — The carrier operating the first journey is not, as a rule, obliged to compensate for the loss of the second separate ticket.
This is particularly important for those who have booked low-cost flights themselves.
Which flights are covered by the UK’s Regulation 261?
The rules apply, first and foremost, to:
flights from any airport in the UK, regardless of the airline;
flights to the United Kingdom, provided they are operated by a British or European carrier;
as well as certain flights operated by British airlines to the EU.
For example, flight London — New York falls under UK261 regardless of which airline operates it, as the flight departs from the UK.
But for this flight New York — London, operated by an American airline The rules may be different.
What is known about the cause of the major NATS disruption?
The official investigation is still ongoing.
The British Government has given NATS a week to prepare a report, and CAA At the same time, it is carrying out an independent audit of the air traffic control system’s resilience. The authorities state that there are currently no signs of a cyberattack.
On 12 September, *The Guardian*, citing reports on the progress of the investigation, wrote that the problem may have been triggered by incorrect flight data from a British military aircraft. The system was unable to process the information it received correctly and stopped working for about four hours.
However, the UK Ministry of Defence has stated that at present there is no evidence of any error on the part of the military, so the investigation will determine the exact cause.
The incident sparked a fresh wave of criticism of NATS. Ryanair and Wizz Air have called for the system to be reformed, whilst Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, has called on NATS’s chief executive, Martin Rolf, to resign.
How to get your money back
Passengers affected by the disruption should first submit a claim directly from the airline.
You should include your booking reference, flight details and receipts for accommodation, meals or transport, if the carrier has not provided them themselves.
The CAA notes that a claim for compensation and a claim for reimbursement of actual expenses may be made separately.
If the airline has refused or has failed to respond within more than eight weeks, the matter may be referred to the relevant alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body or to the CAA’s complaints service if the carrier does not participate in ADR.
It is also worth checking your travel insurance: some policies cover delays, missed connections, trip cancellations or additional costs that are not reimbursed by the airline.
Conclusion.
A major NATS disruption has left thousands of passengers with cancelled flights and additional costs. However, «No £520 compensation» does not mean «the airline owes nothing».
Passengers on flights cancelled due to the disruption must still be offered a refund of the ticket price or an alternative flight, and during any unavoidable delays — meals, accommodation and the necessary transport.
The standard £220–£520 under Regulation (EC) No 261 for flights directly affected by the NATS disruption will, according to the CAA’s preliminary position, most likely not be paid out due to the status of the incident as an extraordinary circumstance. However, the right to claim actual expenses and to appeal against the airline’s decision remains.
