Some useful comment and insights here for stranded travellers, facing the recent IT systems meltdown at NATS which closed many UK airports last week;
Hundreds of thousands of UK passengers have been warned they may be unlikely to receive compensation after a major air traffic control failure caused widespread flight delays and cancellations earlier this week.
The disruption followed a technical issue at National Air Traffic Services on Tuesday 8 September, which NATS said affected its flight processing system. The fault was fixed that evening, but recovery took longer than expected across the aviation network. Trade body Airlines UK said more than 330,000 passengers were affected, while reports said around 2,100 flights were cancelled or disrupted across the two days.
NATS has said its operations are stable and that it is continuing to work with airlines and airports as they recover from the disruption. Passengers are still being advised to check directly with their airline before travelling, as timetable changes and rebooking issues can continue after the original fault has been fixed.
NATS has also announced that a full investigation will be carried out to establish what happened and identify any further action needed. The Civil Aviation Authority has said disruption caused by the outage is likely to be treated as “extraordinary circumstances” under passenger rights rules, meaning passengers should be looked after by airlines but are unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations directly caused by the incident.
Craig Morgan, insurance expert at SJL Insurance Services, said the incident should serve as a reminder for holidaymakers to check exactly what their travel insurance does and does not cover before they travel.
He said: “When major airport disruption happens, a lot of travellers understandably assume that either the airline or their travel insurance provider will automatically cover the cost. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple.
“There is an important difference between airline compensation and making a claim through your travel insurance. If a delay or cancellation is caused by something outside of the airline’s control, such as air traffic control issues, passengers may find they are not eligible for the compensation they expected.
“That does not necessarily mean there is no support available, but it does mean travellers need to check the wording of their policy carefully. Some policies may include cover for delayed departure, missed connections or additional accommodation costs, while others may have strict exclusions depending on the cause of the disruption.
“The biggest mistake people make is assuming all travel insurance is the same. Two policies can look similar on price, but offer very different levels of protection when something goes wrong.”
What should passengers check after airport disruption?
According to SJL Insurance Services, passengers affected by delays or cancellations should check five key areas of their travel insurance policy before assuming they can make a claim.
- Delayed departure cover: This may offer a fixed payment if a flight is delayed for a certain number of hours, but the time threshold and reasons covered can vary by provider.
- Cancellation cover: Travellers should check whether their policy covers cancelled flights caused by third-party disruption, rather than only illness, bereavement or other personal circumstances.
- Missed connection cover: Those travelling via connecting flights may need a specific level of cover if a delay causes them to miss the next leg of their journey.
- Additional accommodation and transport costs: Some policies may cover extra hotel stays or onward travel, but passengers should keep receipts and check whether they need insurer approval first.
- Policy exclusions: Travellers should look for wording around air traffic control restrictions, industrial action, airport closures and extraordinary circumstances.
Craig added: “If you have been caught up in the disruption, keep every receipt, screenshot your flight status updates and contact both your airline and insurer as soon as possible. The airline may still have a duty to provide care, such as food or accommodation during long delays, even where compensation is not payable.
“It is also worth checking whether you bought travel insurance before the disruption became known. Once an incident is already public, it may be treated as a known event, which can limit your ability to claim on a new policy purchased afterwards.
“For anyone travelling in the coming days, the key advice is to check your airline updates before leaving for the airport, review your policy documents, and do not assume you are automatically covered for every knock-on cost.”
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