Luton Airport : Flights delays, cancellations, compensation ?
With an airport as big as Luton hosting so many travellers, airlines, and flights per year, it is always inevitable that at some point, the next major flight cancellation or delayed flight will occur. Whilst these can be serious pains not just in terms of inconvenience but also financially, fortunately, there is an answer to such situations that is in your favour. If you have been beset by cancellations or a flight delay, you are legally entitled to file a compensation claim that can sometimes net you a refund of up to €600.
There are a wide variety of situations and setbacks at the airport that can be potentially valid and eligible for filing a compensation claim if they are directly caused by an airline company’s direct error or actions. These situations can range from property damage or lost luggage to your seat mistakenly being given to another; however, the most common causes of compensation claims in the industry are due to cancellations and delays.
If or even just in case such a situation happens to you, it is of the utmost importance to be fully aware of and understand your rights and protections as a traveller within the European Union and the United Kingdom. The legislation established by both the Union and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority entitles travellers to indemnification, or monetary reimbursement, for financial losses such as emergency bookings, property damage and unexpected expenses incurred in the event of cancelled flights or delays.
Due to these rights, the sheer scale of the commercial aviation industry worldwide means that these claims cost can achieve quite high numbers, especially during poorly performing years.
Because of this fact, many airlines make the claims process as complicated as possible to slow down or even actively discourage individuals seeking to file their compensation claim with them to refund their losses. The difficulty level varies heavily from airline to airline, and companies may even change policies in the wake of large-scale cancellations and delays. Whenever an airline cancels a flight, it will be a big deal for plenty of people, and that could be you.
In some incidents, claims have needed to be taken to court to resolve them and get the traveller their entitled refund from the airline. In light of these obstacles and changing hoops to jump through, the most concise and clear claims are the likeliest to succeed with less of a legal struggle.
Have you been inconvenienced and financially menaced by an airline deciding to cancel flight on you or otherwise delay a flight you had booked with them? You are not alone. Consider Indemniflight; we help travellers just like you with successful claims every month!
At Idemniflight, you will have access to all the resources and guidance you need to ensure your compensation claim has the best possible case and a fast-track to success. Our experienced team is committed to providing the highest quality service and advice to give your claim the concision and details it needs to get you your duly deserved refund with the least amount of hassle possible in the quickest manner possible.
Getting Compensation
If your travel through Luton Airport has unfortunately been marred by unexpected expenses, lost property, or any form of financial losses that can be directly attributed to your airline’s actions, by law you are duly empowered to submit a claim of reimbursement with the offending company in question. Our team at Idemniflight can provide you with everything you need to process and submit your refund claim with ease and peace of mind.
Enacted in the year 2004, EC Regulation 261 directly protects travellers by allowing them to file a refund complaint in the event of any airline error or action that results in financial losses for that traveller. It provides a minimum baseline of protection for those who do not possess travel insurance and as a supplement for those who do.
In ideal circumstances, the laws may make compensation claims more straightforward than insurance protection as they allow you to file the claim directly with the offending airline, however additional layers of protection that may be available are always worth considering when you have to deal with a flight cancellation and the claims process.
The most common compensation claims that airlines deal with are from cancelled or delayed flights put into effect by the airlines themselves or caused by airline operational errors. These airline-caused interruptions to the air travel service often trigger emergency lodging bookings and alternative flight bookings as the traveller attempts to remain on their travelling schedule.
Compensation for Flight Delays
There is no singular compensation rate for flight delays under the stipulations of EC Regulation 261. In lieu of this, the legislation establishes a variable set of rates that depend upon the individual circumstances of your situation as a traveller when the delay occurs. Distance is the chief determining factor in how high your compensation can be, as well as whether or not your flight was within the EU itself, or coming to or from the EU.
If your flight is no greater than 1,500km, your claim, if successful, is able to net you a maximum refund of up to €250. If the flight is 1,500km and was between strictly two EU member nations only, that €250 jumps to a maximum compensation ceiling of €400.
On the other hand, take an important note that any flights with non-EU destinations that are of a distance of 3,500km or greater are eligible under the law for a maximum refund of €600 if the delay or cancellation lasts longer than four hours. This is understandable, especially as long-haul flights can be difficult for some, and such a prolonged delay can turn that difficulty into an outright nightmare for travellers.
For many, the legislation’s rates and wording can be hard to navigate or even confusing at times. Never hesitate to consult our team with any specific question you may have about the different rates of claim compensation based on varying circumstances. We are committed to guiding you with the personalisation and convenience you deserve.
Remember, whether you are an EU traveller or not, the law protects both categories of traveller passing through London Luton Airport from financial damages inflicted by airline errors! Wherever your destination was during the cancellation or delay, Idemniflight is here to serve.
When to Claim Compensation?
The good news doesn’t just end with how flexible the legislation is that has been put into place to ensure your rights during travel. It may please you to know that travellers that have faced significant financial harm from flight cancellations or delays have upwards of 6 years from the day of the incident to file their claim with the airline.
Generally speaking, the best time to file your claim is as soon as possible after the occurrence, but also in a window that gives you enough time to fully prepare your case and ensure it is clear and concise. The longer you have to sit on your incident before filing a claim, arguably the more difficult it can become to file it.
How to Claim Compensation
There are quite a number of options available to a traveller in the event of a cancelled or delayed flight causing a substantial financial loss to them. High volumes of formal complaints and other claims for reimbursement are sent to airlines annually, and success rates can vary as wildly as each company’s systems for receiving claims.
Here at Idemniflight, our skilled team offers you not only the friendliest and most convenient method of submitting your claim to the airline responsible for your losses but also one of the highest standards of quality and expertise in the commercial aviation industry. Indeed, we have robust experience with both the UK’s Civilian Aviation Authority and its counterparts throughout the European Union. With our guidance, your claim has the best chance to achieve you the highest possible refund your situation entitles without the hassle and difficulties of submitting it alone.
Claiming Compensation: What can I get?
As you saw with the compensation rates for flight length, it varies from situation to situation. Most often, claims are submitted in response to losses caused by a delayed or cancelled flight. Because of this, very specific rates are identified pertaining to journey length. For an overview, one can expect:
- £220 for journeys of 1,500km or under
- £350 for journeys of 1,501km to 3,500km
- £530 for journeys of 3,501km or longer
Due to time being a significant factor, unfortunately flights with delays between three to four hours may be subject to reduced rates of up to half of what is displayed above. Depending on the length with time factored in, the rate thresholds stand at:
- £110 for journeys of 1,500km or under
- £175 for journeys of 1,501km to 3,500km
- £265 for journeys of 3,501km or longer
To help ground your expectations before the claims process begins, it might be worth consideration to calculate your flight’s distance from Luton Airport to your intended destination before it was cancelled or delayed, as well as reviewing your documentation of how long the delay was if applicable.
Claim Compensations during Worker Strikes
As with all major industries across the world, commercial aviation is subject to the occasional worker strike or two. These are often quite serious incidents, as organised strikes can interrupt not only terminals but also entire airports at times. Indeed, whilst they often receive press coverage and can cause quite prominent cancellations and/or delays en-masse, unfortunately, the fact is that under the legislation, airlines cannot be held responsible for financial losses directly caused by the strikes themselves.
However, there are exceptions! The good news should you have happened to face such a worker strike during your journey is that any losses caused by your airline itself during a strike may still be valid grounds for filing a reimbursement claim with them. These can include a few different scenarios, such as airport terminal checkers allocated to another location from what was expected resulting in lost property, to luggage erroneously assigned to the wrong flight, and even your seat being mistakenly given to somebody else.
Generally speaking, if it happened during the strike, and it is directly the cause of your airline, it should be eligible for a reimbursement claim under the law. However, these types of claims are typically much harder legal fights to undertake. Idemniflight rises to the challenge as a substantial assistant every step of the way, even if your claim is from a period during an aviation workers’ strike. We are here to help secure you the refund you deserve, no matter the difficulty!
About Luton Airport
Today a bustling and critical hub of London’s commercial aviation activity, London Luton Airport was founded in 1938 as a commercial airport near the eponymous town of Luton. It saw use as a key base for the Royal Air Force’s fighter wings during WWII, especially during the Blitz due to its proximity to London, and resumed civilian activity in 1952.
For much of its operational history, it was known as Luton International Airport. The airport was a key air service provider in the package holiday industry in the 1960s with continuing growth throughout the century with the exception of the 1980s due to a shift in activity over at Stansted. Resurgent growth in the 1990s has since triggered many infrastructure expansions, new airlines contracting with the site, and other various additions.
Debonair and EasyJet began operation at the airport in the 90s. These airlines caused a sharp uptake in the numbers of commuters, travellers, their luggage, and cargo passing through its doors and terminals. For a period of time, the air hub was the fastest growing UK airport, seeing up to 3 and a half million people in 1998 alone. Also in 1998 was the addition of a state of the art new terminal formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. This addition not only expanded aviation service but also yielded a number of new amenities.
Since 1999, a railway station has offered train connections direct to London proper. A departure hall was added in 2005 alongside expanded facilities. New, major expansion plans in 2007 were scrapped due to financial reasons, leaving Luton Airport a single-lane site. By the 2010s, airlines offering a variety of destinations both near and long-distance have both ceased and commenced operations at the site.
Currently, the airport is in the middle of an ongoing three-year redevelopment plan effective at the end of 2018. These additions are meant to address the growing volume of travellers, now numbering in the tens of millions per annum. As of 2019, the airport has one runway and terminal with plans for a second terminal in motion. In addition to railway and road connections, local busses offer a connection between the airport to the town and the rest of the local area. Some airlines operating from the airport include TUI Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair.
How Long Have I got to Claim?
As we explored above, you have quite ample time to submit your claim with the airline that caused your losses. That time is exactly 6 whole years from the time of the incident in question. In light of this, however, acting sooner rather than later whilst also coming prepared with a well fleshed-out case typically can help boost your odds of a swifter success.
Get Professional Help!
No matter the difficulty of your claim for reimbursement, Idemniflight has your back with some of the best experts on indemnification in the aviation industry! On our website, you can find an intricate and bustling forum laden with tips, situations similar to yours by other travellers, and a wealth of information you need to help you throughout the claims process. As well, you can easily consult with our team there, but the convenience does not stop there!
If you prefer to correspond about your claim via physical letter, we have our postal address available. In addition to this, we are always on standby on telephone and via email. You deserve only the best in service and expertise to give you the strongest claim possible and the easiest route to your well-deserved refund. Contact us today and turn those stormy legal skies into something that can give you more ease of mind with Idemniflight!
