UK travel chaos 7.4 million passengers affected by UK flight disruptions since start of the year

• Between January and April 2019, the UK saw an average of 115 disrupted flights per day

• Nearly 1 in 5 flights were delayed or cancelled, affecting a staggering 7,402,600 passengers

• Airlines owe up to 600EUR to over 272,900 passengers following UK flight disruptions

London, 14 June 2019, 00:01: Following a turbulent start to the year for the aviation industry, a global study has revealed the sheer volume of passengers affected by UK flight disruptions.

A comprehensive and data-based evaluation of flight data by AirHelp, the world’s leading organisation specialising in air passenger rights, found that 7,402,600 people endured a flight delay or cancellation between January 1 and April 30, in the UK. Data shows that 1 in 5 (19%) flights throughout the period were disrupted.

In recent months, disruptions have been rife; the collapse of Flybmi and significant cancellations by Flybe are just some of the major incidents which have impacted air passengers. AirHelp’s data reveals that an average of 115 flights were disrupted daily in the UK. Flights are classed as disrupted when they are delayed for 15 minutes or more, or cancelled.

Know your rights

Under EU regulation EC261, flight delays and cancellations may result in a right to claim compensation of up to €600 per passenger. Eligibility for compensation depends on the length of delay at the place of arrival and the reason for the cancelled or delayed flight.

Over 2,600 UK flights between January 1 and April 30 qualified for compensation and 272,900 passengers are owed money by airlines. Affected passengers can claim compensation up to three years after their flight.

The industry in crisis

“When over 15,200 passengers are affected by disruptions each day, it’s evident that UK airlines are struggling to deliver the service that passengers deserve,” said Paloma Salmeron, air passenger rights advocate at AirHelp. “People shouldn’t have to contend with delays and cancellations so frequently and we implore airlines to improve before we see a repeat of 2018 which saw UK flight cancellations soar by 86% compared to the previous year.

“Ahead of the peak summer travel season, we want to make people aware of their rights as air passengers. We encourage people to ensure they know what to do during a disruption and whether they are entitled to compensation from airlines. It’s also paramount that airlines are transparent with their customers as research shows that over 86% UK air travellers are unaware that they may be eligible for compensation following a disrupted flight*.”

Air passengers experiencing delayed or cancelled flights can check their eligibility for compensation at the airport or on-the-go, and make a claim in a matter of minutes at www.airhelp.com

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Methodology: AirHelp’s database of global flight data aggregates multiple data points from a variety of reliable sources such as government agencies, airport databanks, flight-tracking vendors, historical resources and commercial data brokers. AirHelp is therefore able to maintain an accurate, real-time picture of flight disruptions occurring across the globe, the circumstances around these disruptions and the likelihood of further disruptions occurring.