Holidays can take months to organise, from selecting a hotel and deciding on activities, to sorting out transport. However, airlines could disrupt all of those plans in a heartbeat with a 'schedule change' - here's what holidaymakers are entitled to as compensation.
What Is a Schedule Change?
According to Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert (MSE) team, most major UK airlines can change the time or even the date of your flights. It is all outlined in the booking terms and conditions that people agree to when paying for their holiday travel. This is known as a "schedule change." It differs from unforeseen circumstances, such as adverse weather, crew shortages, industrial action, or technical faults.
Despite most holiday operators accepting bookings months, if not a year, ahead, airports can only usually confirm flight slots roughly three months before departure, so the planned time may not be available on the day. MSE claims that airlines may also "mess about with timings if they change the aircraft type."
Legal Framework and Airline Policies
The MSE team said: "UK regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirms that where schedule changes are to the time or date (not the flight number), these are only covered by airline T&Cs, not by any law. If you're moved to a different flight altogether (ie, a different flight number) you'd likely be covered under different, far tighter EU or UK flight cancellation laws where you'd get a full refund or new flight, and possible compensation."
The CAA states that airlines must inform passengers at least 14 days in advance. Typically, an airline will send changes via email, though it's also best to check the 'manage my booking' section on its website for confirmation. Some airlines will call or text customers who haven't responded to an email. If you've booked through a travel agent, airlines may not have your contact information, meaning the agent would be responsible for reaching you.
What Are Your Rights If Your Flight Time Is Changed?
Travellers will have different entitlements with their airline depending on the circumstances. It's best to check with your travel provider regarding your particular situation.
Minor Change
MSE reports that each airline has a different definition, ranging from departure delays of under an hour to those lasting under 12 hours. MSE said: "The T&Cs usually state you'll need to accept the delay, but it's worth trying to get a refund or alternative flight if the delay is a significant inconvenience, say, you were only going for a short time or needed to be at your destination by a certain time."
Significant Change
MSE claims that anything beyond the time your airline classifies as a minor delay becomes a 'significant' change, opening up more options to travellers. Airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and TUI told MSE that passengers in these situations are "usually offered a refund or a comparable flight."
The limit before flights switch from minor to significant varies. MSE found that British Airways classed anything over two hours as significant, whilst Ryanair's policy is three hours, and EasyJet and TUI both settle for more than five hours before escalating to a 'significant change'.
The team suggested that, before accepting any offers directly from the airline, it may be worth looking into the cost of booking replacement flights yourself. In some instances, last-minute flights can be pricier or may not have enough seats for your entire family, but you might find it cheaper to take the refund and book alternative flights independently.
Can I Get Compensation for Holiday Expenses I Won't Use?
MSE added: "You've no right to additional compensation, such as to make up for a non-refundable hotel or car hire booking (though always ask them for a refund), and there's no law to back you up here. Even if you've got travel insurance, you're unlikely to get anything as compensation as a result of a schedule change, other than in rare cases. [MSE] checked with Aviva, Coverwise, Infinity Insurance and Swiftcover, who all said they would not cover this. Some higher-end policies may do, such as LV Premier, though only if the rescheduled time is more than 24 hours later."
