IT’S SNOW-JOKE: OVER 300% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHRISTMAS FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS

• AirHelp reveals shocking annual increase in the number of flights cancelled at Christmas

• 570 flights cancelled over the festive period in 2018, 440 more than in 2014

• easyJet, British Airways and Norwegian named as worst offending airlines for Christmas flight cancellations in NEW investigation

• UK passengers experience most festive flight cancellations in Europe
• AirHelp calls on passengers to assert their rights and claim compensation from a cancelled flight that they are legally entitled to

 Flying home for Christmas to spend time with friends and family should be a magical time. Not, however, for the thousands of UK air passengers who risk having their Christmas spoilt by a cancelled flight.

A NEW investigation into five-years’ of flight data has found a shocking increase in the number of Christmas flight cancellations. Air passenger rights organisation, AirHelp, reveals 338% more flights were cancelled during the festive period in 2018 (570) compared to 2014 (130). In fact, last year (2018) 63,000 passengers flying from the UK had to endure the disruption caused by a cancelled flight, in comparison to 11,000 passengers in 2014 – a 470% increase across the five-year period.

The investigation by AirHelp also found the number of passengers affected by 2018 Christmas flight cancellations in the UK was 338% higher than those in France (14,400) and 146% higher than those in Germany (25,600). The number of cancelled passengers in the UK was also over four times as high as those in Spain (14,500) and Italy (12,900), making it the nation most prone to festive flight cancellations in Europe. 

In the UK, cancellations by easyJet caused the most disruption over the Christmas period in 2018. The airline’s failure to get its flights off the ground affected 26,400 passengers. The second poorest performing airline was British Airways, whose cancellations affected 9,900 of its passengers. Norwegian (8,600 passengers cancelled) and Flybe (4,000 passengers cancelled) came in at third and fourth.

Under EU law EC261, if a flight is delayed by more than three hours, cancelled, or in an instance of denied boarding, passengers are entitled to financial compensation of up to 600EUR (approx. £530) per person if the cause of the disruption was in the airline’s control

Paloma Salmeron, passenger rights expert at AirHelp, comments: “The extent of UK flight cancellations at Christmas-time is completely intolerable. Most people will forgive the occasional unavoidable delay or cancellation, particularly if this is out of the airline’s control and provided they are treated fairly, but it’s unacceptable that passengers flying from the UK are having to contend with disruption at this scale. At AirHelp, we urge passengers to know their rights before flying over the Christmas period and assert their entitlement to claim the compensation that is rightfully theirs if they endure a delayed or cancelled flight. With an alarming 85% of UK passengers unaware of their rights, AirHelp will continue to educate and give the resources and knowledge they need to ensure the law is working in their favour.”

The same investigation by AirHelp reveals that in 2019 (1st January – 30th November 2019), 865,000 passengers had their flights cancelled in the UK. British Airways (354,000 passengers cancelled), Flybe (78,000 cancelled) and Loganair (19,000), were the worst cancellation offenders across the year.

-ENDS-

Yearly comparison of UK cancelled flights and passenger data 19th – 30th December.

Airline ranking by number of cancelled flights in 2018 between 19th – 30th December.

About AirHelp

AirHelp is the world’s largest organization specializing in air passenger rights, helping travelers get compensation for delayed or canceled flights and in instances of denied boarding. The company also takes legal and political action to support the growth and enforcement of air passenger rights worldwide. AirHelp has aided more than 16 million people, is available in 35 countries and has more than 750 employees.

To find out more, visit: https://www.airhelp.com/en-gb/

Methodology

The investigation: AirHelp analysed flight cancellations between 19th – 30th December in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.