Air passenger rights: The complete guide to your holiday consumer rights

As we approach the end of the summer season, many holidaymakers remain apprehensive about what’s still to come when looking to book a last-minute trip. In fact, over 6 million UK passengers faced disruptions when travelling on a plane between June and July this year.

Unsurprisingly, the UK ranked poorly among European countries as one of the most delayed countries for flight departures. It’s no secret that labour disputes, strikes and technical problems across UK airports have had a negative effect on air travel.

With this in mind, it’s vital that passengers understand their rights and how to enforce them in the event of delays and cancellations. Under UK 261, passengers are entitled to compensation when facing delays over three hours, cancellations less than 14 days before departure, denied boarding caused by overbooking or missed connections causing three-hour delays upon arrival.

If airline staff go on strike, UK air passengers can receive compensation for a delay of three hours, as well as have the right to care, including food and drink or accommodation, and a replacement flight when theirs have been disrupted.

With the UK’s travel appetite continuing to exceed that of summer last year, it’s never been more important for passengers to understand their rights when booking last-minute trips. In this article, Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp will explore what passengers are entitled to when flights are delayed or cancelled, and make recommendations on how they can enforce their rights.