AirHelp unveils that Edinburgh, Dublin and Amsterdam are expected to be affected with flight delays and cancellations this October half-term, due to the airports being listed in the top five disrupted destinations over the last two years.
LONDON – AirHelp, the number one flight delays compensation company, unveils families wanting to get away during the October school holidays are likely to experience delays and cancellations on journeys to popular holiday destinations including Edinburgh, Dublin and Amsterdam.
The findings reveal that over 34,000 UK passengers were affected by flight cancellations and severe delays of three hours or more, resulting in those affected being eligible to claim approximately £11,000,000 in compensation during last year’s October half-term (22nd – 30th October 2016).
Trends and data from the last two years have shown that passengers choosing to fly earlier in the week (Tuesday and Wednesday) are less likely to face delays and cancellations than those planning to fly later in the week (Thursday and Sunday).
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Best and worst times to fly based on on-time performance |
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2016 October half-term (22nd – 30th October) |
2015 October half-term (24th – 1st November) |
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Best day to fly (based on the percentage of on-time performance) |
Tuesday (86.30%) |
Best day to fly (based on the percentage of on-time performance) |
Wednesday (88.02%) |
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Worst day to fly (based on the percentage of on-time performance) |
Thursday (44.35%) |
Worst day to fly (based on the percentage of on-time performance) |
Sunday (64.91%) |
Based on the percentage of disrupted flights departing from UK airports last year, Malaga experienced the highest volume of flight disruptions, with Paris and Dublin following closely behind.
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Top five disrupted destinations in October half-term (percentage of flights delayed and cancelled) |
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2016 October half-term (22nd – 30th October) |
2015 October half-term (24th – 1st November) |
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1. |
Malaga, Spain (22.63%) |
1. |
London, United Kingdom (25.52%) |
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2. |
Paris, France (19.44%) |
2. |
Edinburgh, United Kingdom (19.82%) |
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3. |
Dublin, Ireland (14.88%) |
3. |
Dublin, Ireland (19.96%) |
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4. |
Edinburgh, United Kingdom (14.24%) |
4. |
Glasgow, Scotland (18.82%) |
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5. |
Amsterdam, Netherlands (11.61%) |
5. |
Amsterdam, Netherlands (17.83%) |
Holidaymakers looking to take advantage of the half-term break, who are yet to book their flights, are advised by AirHelp to book their flight departing later in the evening. Findings, based on trends and data from the last two years, have shown that passengers travelling during the night (from 10pm – 5am) have experienced less delays and cancellations, than those in the daytime.
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2016 October half-term (22nd – 30th October) |
2015 October half-term (24th – 1st November) |
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Best time of the day to fly |
22:00 – 05:59 |
Best time of the day to fly |
22:00 – 05:59 |
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Worst time of the day to fly |
12:00 – 15:59 |
Worst time of the day to fly |
16:00 – 21:59 |
Paloma Salmeron Planells, AirHelp representative comments: “While UK airports will be preparing for a surge of passenger travel this October half term; delayed, cancelled or overbooked flights must be at the expense of the airlines and not the passengers.
“In the event of a delayed or cancelled flight, passengers may be legally entitled to receive up to £510 in compensation fees from airlines. However, despite this less than 2% of travellers will file for this compensation, not knowing that they are eligible.
“We urge passengers who may be affected by delays or cancellations this October half-term to check for live updates from the airport as well as to read up on their rights to ensure that they’re not missing out on the compensation that they’re legally entitled to. At AirHelp, our mission is to help passengers get the compensation that they rightfully deserve.”
What to do if your EU Flight is Delayed
If you’re on a European Union flight, here’s what to do when your departure gets pushed back:
- Hold onto your boarding pass and any other travel documents. If you don’t have your boarding pass, you can use any flight document with a booking reference number. This number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline and is a six-digit code, which may include both letters and numbers.
- Ask why the flight is delayed. The more specific the reason, the better. If they say that it’s due to “operational circumstances” or “flight safety shortcomings,” ask them for more detail. This information is important down the line if you decide to file a claim.
- Make a note of the actual arrival time at your final destination. This is not when the wheels touch down, but when the plane is actually at the gate and the door opens. If you’re more than three hours late, you could be entitled to compensation.
- Ask the airline to cover your meals and refreshments. If you are forced to wait at the airport longer than planned, depending on the delay and length of your flight, the airline is supposed to provide food and drinks to keep you comfortable. It’s not just good hospitality, it’s a requirement.
- Don’t sign anything or accept any offers that may waive your rights. This includes things such as future travel vouchers or other freebies. They may sound appealing, but you could be giving up your right to further compensation down the line.
- Choose to wait it out or call it off if your delay is more than 5 hours. If you don’t want to continue with your journey, you have the option to get a full refund in addition to a return flight to your original point of departure at no cost to you, if necessary.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
