Tom Earnshaw
Nothing is better than the airport pint. Crisp, refreshing and exactly what you need after getting up at 3am for that early morning flight to escape reality.
But there's two dreaded words that quickly brings you back down to Earth with an almighty bang: flight cancelled.
Sadly these things happen, with some people left having to take bus journeys lasting a staggering 36 hours instead of jetting off into the skies.
If this does happen to you and you find your flight cancelled, you could get yourself up to £520 in compensation.
Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, says you should go to the gate agents as soon as your cancellation is announced in the airport.
Advert
"If you're near the gate, quickly make your way to the gate agent, and see if they can book you on another flight," Radchenko says.
"Don't be surprised if there's a long line of passengers trying to do the same thing you are. If the line is too long, or if you're in another part of the airport, you can also look for self-service kiosks.
"You might not find these at every airport. But if you do, then you'll scan or enter your details, and see if you've been rebooked on another flight."
The CEO advises that even if you find another flight that can take you to where you need to be, compensation could still be on the cards.
Advert
How much you can claim all comes down to time. Let's explain below:
Citizens Advice explains that you could be entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled for four reasons.
They are if you were:
You should contact your airline if these don't apply to you.
Advert
Citizens Advice says: "Contact the airline if these don't apply to you - for example, because you flew from New York to Los Angeles, or to Europe on a Qantas plane. What you’ll be entitled to will depend on the airline, and the countries you left from and arrived in."
Your airline must provide you with provisions if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
This includes food and drink. You should also be given phone and email access if you don't have either to hand.
Advert
Delays or cancellations which mean you'll be travelling the next day mean the airline should also give you accommodation for the night and pay or supply your journeys to and from the airport and hotel, if applicable.
It's not a one size fits all answer but it's also pretty straightforward.
You can put in a claim for £220 if your delay is three or more hours and you're travelling less than 1,500km.
Advert
£260 is up for grabs if it's less than four hours and more than 3,500km.
It's £350 if it's a three or more hour delay and you're travelling between 1,500km and 3,500km.
A four hour delay and more than 3,500km travel distance? £520 could be on the way.
Citizens Advice says: "Contact the airline – this needs to be the airline operating the flight, even if you booked it through another airline. The airline’s customer services department will usually help.
"Be ready to give all your flight details and booking reference numbers. Write your claim – say what went wrong and what you want the airline to give you. Include copies (not originals) of your tickets and any receipts.
"Keep records – keep copies of your claim and any response from the airline. Take notes if you speak to anyone from the airline - this could be useful if you decide to take your claim further."
It might seem like a lot of effort but in reality, you'll have all this information to hand through booking confirmations and communication you've had about the cancellation. It's now just about providing it once again.
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 if you need more help.