Manchester airport flight cancellations - can you claim compensation?

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Approximately 20,000 airline travelers are finding themselves in unexpected locations this morning due to disruptions at Manchester airport caused by a sudden increase in voltage and power outage on Sunday.

Yesterday, airlines were instructed to cancel a few of their flights in an effort to manage the large number of passengers waiting to travel.

What are the chances of these travelers reaching their destinations today - and will they be eligible to receive any compensation?

Here are the main queries and responses.

Number Of Cancelled Flights?

Traveling to and from Manchester airport, which is the third busiest in the UK, I estimate that 140 flights were cancelled, affecting approximately 20,000 passengers. This includes some long-distance flights to destinations like New York, Singapore, Houston, and Dubai, which typically have hundreds of passengers on board.

Moreover, a few flights were rerouted on Sunday morning and around twelve flights to and from Amsterdam were cancelled throughout the day.

What's The Latest At Manchester Airport?

The airport announced last night that the schedule for Monday is expected to proceed normally without any more disruptions.

This statement is not completely accurate. A few flights are experiencing delays of about an hour or two as airlines deal with ongoing delays, and easyJet has cancelled a flight to and from Amsterdam.

EasyJet is informing passengers today that there are delays at the Manchester airport due to a glitch in the system. This means the check-in process is slower than normal as ground handling staff are manually checking in passengers, causing longer wait times.

However, the airport claims that they have no knowledge of any issues with the baggage system.

The airport recommends that travelers arrive at the airport as usual and check in two hours before their short-haul flight, or three hours before their long-haul flight. It's a good idea to verify the status of your flight before heading to the airport.

Airlines will contact passengers to reschedule flights that have been canceled. We are collaborating with airlines, their baggage handling agents, and other partners to ensure that passengers who did not receive their bags on their flights will be reunited with their belongings promptly.

Current Situation For Stranded Passengers

According to the regulations for European air passengers, they have the right to be transported to their final destination without delay. However, airlines are facing challenges in finding available aircraft, crew, and seats for emergency flights. Despite these obstacles, Tui and Jet2 are scheduled to operate additional flights today.

What do passengers get when they are stuck overseas? They should receive accommodations and food until they can be brought back home. However, in these situations, airlines are not required to give any monetary compensation. The shutdown of a major airport is considered an exceptional circumstance, so airlines are not responsible for providing compensation for flight cancellations or delays. It may be possible for someone to seek reimbursement from Manchester airport under the Consumer Rights Act if they believe the airport did not handle the situation with proper care and expertise.

However, this scenario would only be possible if they can prove that they suffered financial losses due to the cancellation of the flight. As airlines typically cover the costs for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred, it is doubtful that this would be the case.

Are Partial Refunds Given For Missed Holidays?

If you booked a package holiday and will be receiving a partial refund, you can expect to receive a refund based on the number of days you will not be able to travel. For example, if you were originally booked for a week but will only be able to travel for six days, you should receive a refund for one-seventh of the total cost of the trip.

Another option is to consider purchasing travel insurance: certain plans offer a small payment if you find yourself stranded for 12 hours or longer.

What Happens To Lost Baggage From Getaways?

People who left on Sunday usually arrived at the airport early and waited for hours before boarding their flight. However, they ended up leaving without their luggage. It is estimated that around 10,000 to 15,000 individuals are currently in this situation. The airport is collaborating with the airlines to deliver the bags to the passengers as quickly as they can. This may take a couple of days, but Jet2 has been transporting bags to different airports to expedite the process.

If you find yourself without important items like toiletries and clothes, you can always purchase them and save the receipts to get reimbursed later. However, try not to go overboard with your purchases. If you're on a cruise and in need of something, don't be afraid to ask your fellow passengers for help borrowing items.

How Often Do Major Airports Experience Power Failure?

Sometimes these incidents occur, as seen at Gatwick in 2013, but the impact is usually not as severe. Manchester airport will need to conduct some inquiries to determine what happened.