West Devon Citizens Advice Column

I’ve just got back from a week-long holiday to Greece. My outbound flight was cancelled with an hour’s notice, but I got the replacement flight provided by the airline. Can I claim compensation?

If your flight is cancelled at short notice you are legally entitled to a full refund or a replacement flight.

If the replacement flight delays your arrival at your destination, you can also claim compensation directly from the airline operating the flight - unless it was cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, like bad weather. The amount you can claim depends on when your replacement flight departed and arrived, how far you were travelling, and when the flight was cancelled.

Start by contacting the airline’s customer service department and explain you’d like to claim compensation for the delay. They will ask for your flight details and booking reference number, and explain your next steps - either writing a letter or filling in a form on their website. You’ll need to enclose copies of any tickets and receipts. Make a copy or take a screenshot of the form.

If the problem isn’t resolved within 8 weeks, you can take your complaint to the Alternative Dispute Resolution service that the airline is a member of, or if that doesn’t work, the Civil Aviation Authority.

For further help, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk, pop in to your local office or call Adviceline on 03444 111 444. Tavistock Citizens Advice (Kingdon House) Mon, Weds, Fri 10am -2pm