Compensation For Air Travellers?

I am currently in Vancouver, we fly home tomorrow Vancouver time or today UK time.

We are dreading delays or cancellations, I have a cabin bag with essentials in just in case.

Last year we lost our flights to the South of France as the airport was evacuated due to a smoking coffee machine, the flight took off empty, we ended up driving to France and despite trying through the airline and our insurance (Insure and Go) we received nothing.

Nobody will accept responsibility.

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Sago did you just book flight only?
I believe that you get more protection if you book a package.
We always try to add a couple of nights in a hotel and some car hire to make up our package.
I might be wrong!

It’s a difficult one, because this particular issue was not the fault of the airlines or holiday companies. Expecting them to pay compensation for a long disruption that affected almost every flight would bankrupt some companies I would think. I’m not unsympathetic, having suffered cancelled flights, and received compensation in the past due to airline failures, but this one isn’t the same.

I am owed £700 by a European airline that cancelled two flights, argued with me for 6 months and then went into administration.

I also claimed from a Virgin for a cancelled flight to Miami which meant not flying out until the next day, missing an onward connection and having to pay around $400 for a new connection. After 8 months, I just gave up.

And believe me, giving up is not usually in my nature. It seems airlines will do anything not to pay compensation that they legitimately should be paying.

Ha ha, I didn't actually claim FROM A VIRGIN - just Virgin

We tried to claim from Qantas for a cancelled flight which meant we had to spend another night in a hotel. They handed out claim forms but never paid up. Typical Qantas behaviour.

Aren’t cancelled flights covered by travel insurance?

My experience was OK... Our flight was cancelled last year from Mexico only about an hour before we where due to leave the hotel, it was a urgent message on my phone from BA.

Luckily the Hotel had a room, not as good as the one we were leaving but it was fine.
So we got an extra 3 days in a 5* Hotel. BA holiday's covered all costs for the Hotel etc, plus we got a delay compensating.

Just checked my travel insurance does cover transport delay and cancellation including ATC failure

For Margs, and others, travellers DO have rights, but sometimes the 'Act of God' clause comes into play.
Sign up to the Simon Calder travel newsletter, and re delays, he issued THIS just the other day >>> www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/flight-cancellations-delay-refunds-extraordinary-circumstances-passenger-rights-b3047782.html

Folk could also see the excellent Money Saving Expert website (Martin Lewis, & free weekly newsletter) for masses of advice, including re Insurance.

I had trouble with virgin holidays too. Also Miami airport. Eventually they sent me compensation but it was in vouchers to usecwith Virgin holidays again. They were binned

When I renewed my annual travel insurance earlier this year I paid extra to include flight disruption / onward travel costs etc. It won't solve immediate issues if I have cancelled or delayed flights but it will reimburse me if it's not a problem covered by the airline compensation scheme.
Earlier this year a friend's family were travelling home from the states and transiting through JFK. Whilst already at their departure airport they were told that their onward flight from JFK had been cancelled because Trump was flying in and apparently whenever he does all air space in the area is closed.
They did manage eventually to book new flights but at a cost of several thousand pounds, none of which was recoverable on their insurance because "president closing air space" isn't covered.

Our Jet2 flight was delayed for over 4 hours , Malaga to Leeds, this year! We both received £165 each so cannot complain