Up to 291,000 passengers face a cancelled or disrupted journey, according to aviation data firm Cirium – with some facing the nightmare of being stuck in an airport transit lounge if they land in a country without the necessary entry documents.
But what rights do passengers have to claim compensation – and when can they expect to arrive at their intended destination?
Replacement flights at ‘earliest opportunity’
According to ABTA, the trade organisation for travel agents, passengers have “significant rights in relation to replacement flights, refunds and general customer care”.
If a flight is cancelled for a departure from the UK, or for a journey to the UK with a UK airline, then the airline must offer passengers the choice of a replacement flight at the earliest opportunity or a refund. The alternative flight can be on a different airline.
What if you’re travelling to the UK on a non-UK airline?
Passengers flying to the UK with a non-UK airline will need to check the terms and conditions of their booking to see what they’re entitled to.
UK consumer laws apply to passengers on flights departing from an airport in the UK (on any airline), flights arriving at an airport in the UK (on an EU or UK airline) and flights arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
They do not cover flights arriving in the UK on an non-EU or UK airline.
Grant Winter, compliance officer at specialist travel insurance provider, Good to go, said: “When you book flights with an airline, you’re essentially entering a contract that means they are required to get you to a certain destination, at an agreed time.
“If they’re unable to follow through with their end, they have a legal duty under UK law, to offer you a full refund or provide an alternative flight.”
Compensation for disruption and emotional distress?
However passengers are not likely to be entitled to claim compensation for the disruption – regardless of the emotional or professional distress it is likely to cause.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Compensation however tends to be offered when the airline is at fault whereas today’s event is likely to qualify as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ so compensation may not be offered.”
Mr Winter from Good to go said that, in cases where the airline is at fault, passengers may be entitled to up to £520 compensation, even if they accept a replacement flight.
He said: “This only applies if the airline is at fault (i.e. cancellations aren’t due to severe weather conditions), the replacement flight delays you by two or more hours and your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.”
Stranded passengers at the roundabout outside Heathrow Airport Terminal 5
Mathilde Grandjean /PA Wire
BA’s advice to passengers is that expenses can be claimed for “hotel accommodation, transport between the airport and your hotel, food and drink and two phone calls or the equivalent internet cost”.
It says expenses cannot be claimed for “travel that’s different from your original booking. For example, flying from a different departure airport, or to a different destination. This also includes car rental or parking.”
In addition, it does not offer expenses for “any alternative flights you booked independently, any losses. For example, a loss of income, and any expenses we think are unreasonable”.
But it says: “If your flight was cancelled, which meant you missed a connecting flight, you can apply for compensation [via its website.”
When Heathrow flights resume, it will be passengers with existing bookings who take priority – with others put to the end of the queue, hoping for an empty seat.
Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at the travel website The Points Guy, said: “This is an extraordinary situation, passengers are reminded that under normal circumstances, if they are delayed for more than two hours on a short-haul flight, airlines must provide them with support such as food and drink and reimbursement for phone calls.
“If they are delayed overnight, the airline will provide them with accommodation and transport to a hotel or home.
“Usually if travellers arrive at their destination more than three hours late, they are entitled to compensation, however as these are extraordinary circumstances and out of the airlines’ control, this type of compensation will very likely not be payable.”
Passengers are entitled to care and assistance while they wait. This usually means refreshments, access to communications e.g. phone calls, plus accommodation and transfers if the flight is delayed until the next day or later, according to ABTA.
It advises: “If your airline advises you to make alternative travel arrangements and claim back the cost later, you should incur reasonable costs and keep all receipts.”
Assistance typically starts after a two-hour delay for a short haul flight, three for medium-haul and four for long-haul flight.
Airlines will often issue vouchers. If they don’t, then keep your receipts. Purchases considered “luxury” such as alcohol or luxury hotels are unlikely to be covered.
Flames tower above the electricity substation as the fire raged
Courtesy of X user @chrisjbrogan
ABTA says passenger rights vary depending on whether the flight was booked as part of a package holiday or not.
ABTA says: “If your flight is part of a package holiday – you will have the highest level of protections. Your travel company will be in touch regarding your holiday.”
Stranded after flight diverted to a non-UK airport?
Simon Calder, The Independent’s travel editor, told Times Radio that some passengers forced to land outside the UK – such as a BA flight from Accra in Ghana that was diverted to Lyon in the south of France – may not have the correct paperwork to enter Europe.
“They will be stuck in the transit lounge,” Mr Calder said. “That is going to be a complete nightmare for them.”
Online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said 120 flights to Heathrow were in the air when the closure was announced.
Mr Calder said: “People will be stumbling off their plane, blearily wondering how they are going to get to their final destination.
“There is going to be disruption rumbling on through the weekend. It’s clear that British Airways will have its planes, its pilots and its passengers in all corners of the world, and just getting those people where they need to be when operations resume is going to be very difficult.”
Which airlines are affected?
Cirium data showed scores of inbound long-haul flights being diverted or returning to their point of departure involving BA, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, United, Delta, Air Canada, Air India, JetBlue, Japan Airlines and Qantas.
What about other London airports?
“Friday is typically the busiest day for travel with people returning from business trips, going on holiday or visiting friends and family, so all airports will likely be incredibly busy,” according to Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership.
“Therefore, the reality is that the London airports would have been busy today already and this incident will exacerbate it further.”