UK weather: Flight cancellations 'likely' as snow & ice warnings issued - can you get refund if flight disrupted?

The UK is “likely” to see flight cancellations and delays as yellow weather warnings are in place today (November 30) and tomorrow (December 1). A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk told NationalWorld that flights will also be impacted over the Christmas period due to colder temperatures.

The spokesperson said flights are “more likely” to be cancelled as “fog, snow and ice mean that air traffic controllers must increase the gap between planes that are landing” which “reduces the number of aircraft flying in and out of an airport.” The spokesperson added: “This means flights are more likely to be cancelled. This weather can also make it slower and more difficult for the planes to taxi between the runway and terminal building.”

One yellow weather warning, covering areas in northeast England, the East Midlands, the east of England, Yorkshire and Humber and parts of Scotland, will be active from 5pm today until 11am on Friday. Another, affecting Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, will be in place until 4pm today.

Another warning remains in place until 11am today for eastern Scotland and northeast England down to North Yorkshire, where snow caused closures on the A169. A yellow ice warning for Northern Ireland is also in place until 10am today.

Moving into Friday, the weather is expected to remain cold with sunny spells and some wintry showers, mainly towards coastal areas. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings of its own, with yellow and amber cold health alerts for northern regions of England until 5 December.

The spokesperson for Claims.co.uk highlighted how around this time last year “freezing weather across the UK caused disruptions of several airports across the south and east of the country”. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Stansted Airport and the runway was closed for around six and a half hours as crews battled snow, freezing fog and iced-up planes. At the time Luton Airport also warned of "weather-related delays and cancellations" and urged passengers to check with their airlines.

While planes can and do fly in light snow, it's important for the airport and the airline to work together to manage snow and ice accumulation on the aircraft. De-icing and clearing the runways can cause delays in take-offs.

Can I get a refund if my flight is cancelled due to the weather?

For those who experience any delays or cancellations in the coming weeks due to freezing temperatures, the spokesperson for Claims.co.uk has shared your best options for rearranging and claiming any compensation.

If you have booked a package holiday and your flights are cancelled, the spokesperson said “you have the rights to either claim a full refund, a reroute of the trip destination and potentially compensation from the airline.” They added: “However, in these specific circumstances, delays and cancellations caused by air traffic control restrictions are considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and therefore do not qualify for compensation. In cases of flight delays and flight cancellations due to an ‘extraordinary circumstance,’ the airline must provide you with additional services, depending on the length of your delay and waiting time.”

Additional services include free meals and refreshments, which you are entitled to when your flight is delayed by at least two hours. Alongside this passengers should also receive a free overnight accommodation and a transfer to and from the airport if the flight is shifted to the next day. 

If a travel operator needs to cancel a package holiday for any reason, the spokesperson said they are required to notify you as soon as possible and without undue delay. They added: "However due to the disruption, if you are at the airport when the flight is cancelled, it is advised that you contact your travel company straight away to talk through your options. If the delay lasts more than five hours, but is not actually cancelled, you should also be able to choose not to travel and get a full refund on your ticket. If your flight cannot be rearranged, meaning your whole holiday must be cancelled, then the travel company must offer an alternative holiday if possible, or a refund of the full package price, not just the flight part.” 

If you received less than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation, you can claim compensation. This can be awarded in pounds or euros depending on where your flight was due to depart from. The awards are according to the following scale: 

• £220 / €250 for all flights of 1,500km or less (e.g. Glasgow to Amsterdam); 

• £350 / €400 for all flights between 1,500km and 3,500km (e.g. East Midlands to Marrakech); 

• £520 / €600 for all other flights (e.g. London to New York).