What to do if you get caught up in Heathrow’s confusion

Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been caught in the massive disruption at Heathrow Airport after a night fire in cancelling a massive flight at a current substation.

Throughout most Friday, travelers were encouraged not to head to Heathrow unless directed by the airline. By Friday afternoon, the airport said some flights would resume that night, but did not expect it to be fully operational until Saturday morning.

For those who get caught up in the confusion, here are some things you need to know.

Can I claim compensation?
Despite flight cancellations, consumer experts warn that there is unlikely compensation from the airline for travel planning disruptions.

“If a flight is cancelled, these events will be considered extraordinary and are not entitled to compensation,” said Rory Boland, editor of which. Travel magazine.

“However, you are entitled to airline assistance, including overnight accommodation if necessary.”

Should I choose a refund or reroute flight?
Affected passengers have the option to either be rerouted or accept a refund. “If we choose the former, the airline is obligated to take part in new flights as soon as possible, including rival carriers at alternative airports,” Boland said.

“If you accept a refund instead, please note that the airline has no further duty of care and will need to make your own arrangements,” he added. Citizens’ advice says that after a request, you should receive a refund within 7 days of the flight date.

British Airways told affected customers on Friday to use the online “my booking” option, which rebooks flights, rather than a call center, due to a massive amount of inquiries.

According to travel agent Expedia, many airlines have issued exemptions for flights affected by the closure, allowing customers to make changes to their bookings that will result in regular rates and fines.

“Some (airlines) allow cancellations, while others only allow date changes within the specified time frame,” Expedia said. “A good first step is to visit the airline’s website for exemption eligibility, and we are working closely with our airline partners to honor all applicable exemptions.”

What about other costs?
Given the scale of the confusion, the next challenges passengers face are the time it takes to be booked on an alternative flight and the costs that will arise while waiting.

Mike, 36, has no home to return to London as he was supposed to move to New York for work on Friday.

“I was planning to fly to JFK this morning, but it was clearly cancelled so I’m waiting for British Airways to tell me when I’m flying,” he told FT.

Food and drink marketers said he wasn’t happy with BA’s offer to book him via Miami instead. Instead, it’s a 20-hour trip.

A re-routed airline passenger is entitled to re-charge “reasonable” additional costs, such as overnight hotel accommodation, if they fly to another airport, if there is no other flight.

However, the airline expects the claimant to provide a receipt. In previous large incidents, some airlines have encouraged affected passengers to claim via travel insurance.

“If the airline refuses to reach your destination, your flight was booked on the ‘earliest opportunity’.

“I will only do this if the airline said they would just put me on my next available flight in a few days, or if there was a really urgent reason to get to my destination,” he said.

Does my travel insurance cover that?
It is worth checking the travel insurance terms to see if you can recover any other expenses incurred as a result of this incident. This includes car employment and airport parking fees. Travel disruption policies are not included as standard.

Customers who take away travel insurance on Aviva are entitled to £25 delays per 12-hour delay (up to £250 per person).

Aviva added that customers stuck abroad who were planning to charge additional accommodation fees would need to keep receipts because these are similar standards to previous accommodations.

How about my credit card provider?
Under UK law, making a reservation with a credit card costs between £100 and £30,000 and the credit provider is jointly liable with the supplier if the provider fails to deliver or there is a breach of contract. With receipts and evidence of support, including cancellation screenshots, you can bypass the airline and submit your claim directly to the banking app. If that doesn’t work, you can escalate the claims of the Financial Ombudsman.

Have you been affected by Heathrow’s confusion? Please email money@ft.com