Passengers looking to travel with British Airways today [6 September] have been faced with delays after a glitch in IT systems led to problems at check-in.
Travellers at a wide range of airports around the world were forced to take to social media to complain about the issue, which forced the airline to revert to a manual check-in process.
As a result, delays were reported in locations including London, Edinburgh, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Rome, Berlin, Toronto and the Bahamas – from check-in through to the bag drop and then at boarding.
But if you are one of those people to have been caught up in the delays, then where do you stand?
Thanks to EU regulations – which still apply given the UK hasn’t yet pushed ahead with its exit from the European Union – those who have been caught up in the incident are entitled to certain things from the airline.
Those regulations kick in for delays of two hours or more on flights of up to 1,500km, on delays of three hours or more on flights within the EU of more than 1,500km and on all other flights between 1,500-3,500km and then delays of four hours or more on any other flight.
British Airways should provide food and drink for those who have faced delays (usually in voucher form) whilst there can also be monetary compensation if the delays arise from issues within the airlines control.
In that case, you can put in a claim for compensation via the British Airways website, with the levels of compensation being set by EU regulations at anywhere from 250 to 600 Euros (around £210-£500).
Should a connecting flight have been missed as a result of the delay, you’ll also be entitled to compensation from the airline, providing the connecting flight was on the same booking reference.
Your travel insurance may be prepared to pay out for a delay, but the levels of compensation are much lower than if you make a claim with the airline, although you will face a longer wait for your money.
More details on what to do to lodge a claim with BA can be found HERE.