Can you claim compensation for travel delays on tubes, trains and flights?

Blizzards, or in our case, mere centimetres of snow can be consternation for many of us as we find our travel network disrupted with a series of delays.

If you, like many others, have had their flight or daily commute to work ruined by the Beast from the East then there are some ways where you could be entitled to compensation.

If your train or plane journey was interrupted by sub-zero conditions then you may be entitled to some money back.

Here’s a quick guide to see if you can claim.

Can I claim if my flight is affected by bad weather?

Fortunately for passengers whose flights were with a European airline or departed from a country in the European Union, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland have rights under EU laws.

Firstly, if your flight has been delayed for two hours or more then the airline has to give you food and drink, access to phone calls and emails and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight, including transport to and form the airport.

Passenger flights that are delayed by three hours or more are entitled to compensation if it’s caused by the airline.

If your claim is rejected – and you think you have a case – you can raise a complaint through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for free.

Much to the annoyance of long haul travellers, If you’re travelling outside the EU or on a non-EU airline then it’s up to the airline whether you can claim.

You are best advised to contact them directly to claim compensation.

Unfortunately, if your flight is cancelled or delayed by severe weather conditions like ice, snow or fog, you are not entitled to your money back as airlines can refuse to pay a claim if it’s outside of their control such as poor or extreme weather conditions.

However, some travel insurance providers could refund you some of your money if you have or are experiencing delays of more than eight hours – but you should read the fine print to be sure.

Can I get claim if my train is affected by bad weather?

Sadly, you cannot claim compensation for train journeys that have been delayed or cancelled by severe weather.

However, some train companies have a scheme called ‘Delay Repay’ to compensate you for delays.

You are entitled to claim using this scheme if you are a weekly, monthly or season ticket holder – and this sometimes includes bad weather.

A Virgin train leaves Newcastle Train station following heavy overnight snowfall which has caused disruption across Britain. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday February 27, 2018. Roads across the UK have already seen a blanketing of snow, with police forces reporting treacherous driving conditions and blocked routes. See PA story WEATHER Snow. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire — A Virgin train leaves Newcastle Train station following heavy overnight snowfall which has caused disruption across Britain (Picture: PA Wire)

Most claims can be made by obtaining a form from a staffed station, enclosing the ticket and posting whilst often this can also be done online by attaching a scan of the ticket.

Passengers are entitled to compensation each time for any delay of 30 minutes or more, but season ticket holders need to submit claims for compensation for delays on specific trains.

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Each Train Company will publish the details of their compensation arrangements within their Passenger’s Charter and there is a list of direct links on this page.

You can find out details from different rail companies here.