Berlin flights grounded for second day as winter climate hits. What are your refund rights?

Berlin airport is the newest to be hit by wintry climate, with flights grounded on Friday morning (6 February) because of black ice. It comes after freezing rain halted departures and precipitated delays all through Thursday.

Passengers have been suggested to verify their flight standing earlier than travelling.

Last month, the Netherlands noticed over 700 flights cancelled at Amsterdam Schiphol airport because of snow and powerful winds.

The European hub warned that extra cancellations of primarily European flights have been seemingly, because of “persistent winter weather and heavy winds”.

Winter climate disruption is traumatic, particularly as it may possibly halt all flight providers for days leaving passengers stranded.

But travellers are entitled to sure rights and journey insurance coverage will help out. Here’s what you might want to find out about rebooking, refunds and compensation.

What are my rights if my flight was cancelled or delayed because of dangerous climate?

EU legal guidelines cowl passengers whose flights are inside the UK or EU and operated both by an EU or a non-EU airline.

It additionally covers passengers whose flights arrive within the UK or EU from outdoors the UK or EU and are operated by a UK or EU airline, and passengers whose flights depart from the UK or EU to a non-EU nation operated by an EU or a non-EU airline.

In these circumstances, travellers are entitled to compensation as commonplace if their flight arrives at its closing vacation spot with a delay of three hours or extra (from €250 to €600, relying on the gap).

If your flight is cancelled, you could have the appropriate to decide on between reimbursement, re-routing or a return flight. You are additionally entitled to help on the airport out of your airline, which implies meals and lodging in case you are rebooked to journey the following day.

These guidelines apply throughout dangerous climate, other than when the circumstances are thought of ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

Is dangerous climate thought of a rare circumstance?

When unforeseeable occasions happen, airways should not obliged to supply monetary compensation to passengers, however they nonetheless have an obligation of care that covers help on the airport and rerouting or refunding.

“Flight delays or cancellations because of snow will be extraordinarily irritating, however airways nonetheless have an obligation of care to passengers, and should present clear details about their rights to help or a refund,” explains Rory Boland, Editor of UK shopper watchdog Which? Travel.

“If you might be flying with a UK or EU airline, or because of depart from a UK or EU airport with any service, you may be entitled to food and drinks throughout delays of over two hours for short-haul flights, three hours for medium-haul and 4 hours for long-haul. If you might be caught in a single day, you might be entitled to lodging too.

“If your flight is cancelled, you also have the choice of being refunded or rerouted on the next available flight. If you choose the latter, then your airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible – including with a rival carrier, if necessary.”

To be an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, dangerous climate should be excessive and out of the unusual. This would possibly imply extreme storms, volcanic ash clouds or hurricanes.

As Which? explains, “If a flight is grounded because of a freak snowstorm in the Canary Islands, this would be extraordinary. Light snow at an airport near the Alps in the middle of winter is not.”

It additionally isn’t a rare circumstance in case your flight is delayed as a result of a earlier flight was disrupted because of dangerous climate. Your flight should be instantly affected by excessive climate for it to be a rare circumstance.

Can I declare on journey insurance coverage for dangerous climate disruption?

Depending in your coverage, you could be entitled to monetary compensation out of your journey insurance coverage.

“To be covered under the Travel Delay benefit, your delay typically has to be over three hours and be for a covered reason as outlined in your policy, such as a mechanical breakdown of a common carrier or inclement weather,” explains Lauren McCormick, public relations supervisor at journey insurance coverage comparability web site Squaremouth.

Missed connection protection may also cowl extra prices incurred when you missed a connection flight because of dangerous climate, corresponding to meals or lodging. Typically, this protection solely applies when you expertise a 3 to 12-hour delay.

“If you are delayed, keep all documentation that can help with filing a claim, including receipts for meals and accommodations, proof from your airline of the delay and the reason, and an updated itinerary showing the length of the delay,” says McCormick.

Can I cancel my journey because of excessive climate circumstances?

If your flight is delayed for over 12 hours, you could be coated to cancel your journey totally.

Trip cancellation may additionally be triggered if a winter storm renders your resort or lodging uninhabitable, or a compulsory evacuation is ordered as a result of winter storm.

However, you will need to observe that protection will solely apply if the coverage is bought earlier than the acute climate occasion is known as or turns into recognized, explains McCormick.

For hurricanes, the coverage should be purchased earlier than the storm is known as. For different disasters, the occasion should be unexpected or not publicly introduced before you purchase your insurance coverage.