December’s snowy weather left the country’s transport system in utter chaos. Many people’s travel plans were left in ruins. But here’s some good news. The following tips won’t help you reach your final destination, but they will at least help you to get your money back.
Flights
If you are one of the thousands of people whose flights were affected by the bad weather, here is how you can seek redress. If your flight was part of a package holiday, you will either have been offered alternative transport or an alternative holiday.
If you are still in the UK and the alternative holiday is unsuitable, you will be refunded all the elements of your original package. If you had arranged your flights yourself and they are cancelled, or delayed by more than five hours, your airline must offer you a full refund. You are also entitled to meals and overnight accommodation for long delays.
Trains
There are no hard and fast rules regarding disrupted rail journeys. What you’ll get depends on the train company you have booked with. If your train has been delayed for an hour or more then you should be entitled to some compensation, says the Association of Train Operating Companies. For example, East Coast offers a full refund for train journeys that are cancelled or delayed by over an hour, or a 50% refund if your train is delayed by more than 30 minutes.
Eurostar
Speed restrictions have forced Eurostar to cancel some trains causing huge queues outside London’s St Pancras Station as passengers clamour to get on those trains that are still in service. In an effort to reduce demand for seats, the train company is offering all customers booked to travel before Christmas a refund, or the chance to change their travel dates free of charge.