Winter storms causing havoc for many travellers

It’s only the end of the first week of December, but The UK is already facing its fourth named storm of the Winter season – Storm Darragh.

Storm Darragh will bring with it damaging winds and heavy rain for most parts of the UK, with the potential for snow and ice for some.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for this weekend, and the impact could be felt for some days, and possibly lasting through into next week.

The UK is only one of several countries to be affected by Storm Darragh. France, the Netherlands and other parts of northern Europe are also affected, and the consequences of travelling to and from many destinations within Europe are likely to impact thousands of people. 

Hundreds of flights into, or out of the UK may be cancelled or delayed, leading to missed connections and cancelled travel plans for travellers. Airlines will be altering their schedules to cope, and sadly this will affect many passengers. If you are planning to fly today or over the next few days, we urge you to check with your airline as soon as possible.  

Roads, Rail and ferries are also likely to be impacted, so travellers are urged to plan for the worst, allow additional time for travelling, check ahead of travelling and stay tuned to news and weather bulletins.

What are your rights if your flight is cancelled or delayed due to Storm Darragh? 

Adverse weather conditions, such as those caused by Storm Darragh, are known as ‘extraordinary circumstances’, meaning that it’s a situation that is outside of the direct control of the airline and, therefore, you will not be able to claim compensation due to the disruption. 

That said, airlines still have a duty to assist their customers by re-booking their flights onto the next available flight (even if the next available flight is operated by another airline) and providing food and drink, along with access to communication, or in some cases overnight accommodation. If you incur any expenses yourself, make sure that these are reasonable and keep the receipts to ask for re-imbursement from your airline later.  

You can view more information about your passenger rights on our website: https://www.airtravelclaim.com/faqs/ 

Check your flight status. 

If you are already at the airport, speak to your airline ground staff to get the current information and advice about your flight. 

If you are yet to travel to the airport, check with your airlines’ website for information; but also check the roads and rail networks, as these will also be affected and may cause you difficulty in reaching the airport.