Airlines

Cancelled flights and passenger rights

So what happens if your flight is canceled? It very much depends on the reason and the airline. Generally, if it is the fault of the airline they will reroute you or pay for your accomodation overnight or provide you with a meal voucher. If it’s not their fault, then they may not do anything. This can happen if the airport is snowbound for example. In my experience, the airlines do try to put you on the next available flight. Occasionally I have been offered a meal voucher or allowed to make an interstate phone call.

For more info, see these sites:

Consumer Reports
Free Travel Tips
Air Consumer Rights

Of course this has happened to me - and it involved losing my bags yet again!.
I left Sydney on a hot, steamy December afternoon but when I arrived at Heathrow the following morning it was cold and icy and I soon found out that all flights had been grounded for the past 24 hours due to snow and ice - plus my flight had been cancelled. I joined the long queue at the transfer desk and listened as people ahead of me argued with the counter staff who had long since lost their sense of humour - understandable given the circumstances. When it was turn I did my best to be polite and understanding. My flight had been cancelled and greeting the clerk with a smile and this seemed to win her over and I was placed on standby with SAS. Luckily I got on a flight within two hours. Mind you, my bags didn’t. So on arrival at Stockholm there I was filling in yet another lost luggage claim form. I also had to make my way into Stockholm (Arlanda airport is 40 mins away from the city) as I had warned my parents of the delay and with no ETA and no luggage it made sense to just hop on the airport bus given that I knew my way around.

© 2008 Flying with Baby.