Thousands of Brits to be turned down compensation after air traffic control chaos
Thousands of Brits impacted by the air traffic control failure yesterday will be denied compensation - despite finding themselves stranded overseas.
The travel chaos is far from over, as National Air Traffic Services operations director Juliet Kennedy has said 'it will take some time for flights to return to normal'.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll be well aware that the chaos was originally caused by a 'technical issue' at traffic control.
To be honest, the disruption could not have happened at a worse time, as travellers enjoyed the last bank holiday until December.
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The long delays and cancellations led to some heated moments overseas, with one viral video showing passengers arguing with Ryanair staff after being stranded on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria.
But while the 'technical issue' may have now been resolved, the knock on effect is expected to be quite substantial.
More than 1,200 flights were grounded or delayed throughout Monday, with a further 200 flights already cancelled so far today.
The likes of Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport, Luton Airport and London Stansted have so far reported cancellations and long delays this morning.
While airlines are legally obliged to refund passengers if their flight is cancelled, they actually don't legally have to compensate passengers.
That is because the technical problems that impacted air traffic control yesterday comes under 'extraordinary circumstances' - meaning airlines are not legally obliged to offer compensation to their customers.
However, this does not mean airlines can leave holidaymakers totally in the lurch.
The Press Association's consumer affair correspondent Josie Clarke writes: "Whether or not the disruption is caused by 'extraordinary circumstances', the airline must get passengers to their destination as quickly as possible.
"The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises that when a flight is cancelled, passengers must be offered the choice of a refund, alternative flights at the earliest opportunity, or re-routing at a later date, subject to availability.
"This means re-routing on any airline, not just the one you originally booked with. For example, if your booking is with Ryanair, but a BA, easyJet or Wizz flight gets you back earlier, then Ryanair should put you on it."
Speaking on GB News, travel expert Simon Calder added: "The airline absolutely has to get you back as soon as possible even if it has to buy a ticket on another airline.
"And there is no truth to the rumour that it only has to pay for one night's accommodation. They have to pay for your hotel, if you're lucky enough to get a room."
There's also the hope that travellers could receive renumeration regardless of the 'extraordinary circumstances', with one expert suggesting on Good Morning Britain that stranded passengers may be offered a financial package as pressure grows on the airlines to issue compensation.
Paul Charles, CEO of The PC Agency, said: "I think the airlines are going to end up having to pay compensation but they're going to have to get that money back either from government or NATS whose software failed. It's going to take a long time."
The travel chaos is expected to last for the next few days, meaning airlines will likely be issuing refunds throughout the week.
Callum Jones