Travel Disruption Advice for Luton Airport delays and cancellations
Experiencing Luton Airport Delays today and looking for local delay information? Your flight might be impacted by severe weather disruptions like snow or industrial action… if so, there are a few things you’ll need to know.
Can you claim compensation for your delays? Use our Compensation Calculator. Find out if you can claim for flight delays due to bad weather, like snow to fog, or from industrial action; as well as how much compensation you may be entitled to by using our Compensation Calculator.
We also look into ways you can claim smaller amounts of compensation for delayed or cancelled flights using a dedicated app.
Jump to see our advice on what to do and how to respond to your flight delay and what your passenger rights are. Get to know when Luton airport (or your airline) is required to help you out – whether it be food or accommodation.
Find out why your flight isn’t leaving at the scheduled departure time or retrospectively check on updates from Luton Airport delays yesterday.
We look into how the weather affects flights, from Luton delays due to snow, fog or generally bad weather and why your flight is delayed.
Alternatively, check your flight info with our Online Flight Departures Board or browse the flight schedule today for more Luton Airport delays information.
Take a look at our top tips on staying up-to-date with what’s going on with the Luton airport weather disruption.
If you need to call Luton Airport for more information on delays, their key contact number is 01582 405100. Or for flight information, please use: 0906 211 500 00 (calls charged at 25p/minute)
Take a look at our free claims calculator or “flight delay tool” to see if you’re entitled to compensation because of flight delays or disruptions at Luton Airport. Depending on the circumstances, you could be entitled to up to €600!
Remember if you’ve taken out separate travel insurance, check with your provider to see if you’re flight is covered. For a full Q&A and advice, see What to Do when your flight is delayed and What Causes Luton Airport to Delay and Cancel flights.
If my flight is cancelled by the airline, what compensation am I entitled to?
If your airline cancels your flight the airline must give you the option of rebooking an alternative flight or requesting a refund. Any additional cash refunds, vouchers or reimbursements and compensation are sorted out case by case.
My Luton Airport flight is delayed today, can I claim insurance?
Really, this depends on your provider and the type of insurance you took out. Our best advice is to call your insurance provider as soon as you can and ask them for more details or request to take out an insurance claim.
Can I claim flight delay compensation because of bad weather?
This depends on the type of weather affecting your flight. Take a look at our guide on how weather affects airports and flying.
It also depends on what exactly causes your delay: is it the weather or is it control centre scheduling or a domino effect on delays? Our advice is to try the Claims Calculator above or call up the airline support to be sure.
If my flight is cancelled and I have to rebook a new flight, will the airline provide compensation for my accommodation and meals while I wait for my new flight?
If your re-booked flight leaves 2 hours after the scheduled flight your airline should provide you with free meals while you wait and accommodation if needed. The level of compensation will depend on the distance you are travelling and how much later you will arrive from the original flight.
If my flight is delayed by the airline what compensation am I entitled to?
You aren’t entitled to financial compensation if your flight is delayed but you can get food, refreshments and accommodation if your flight is delayed overnight. Make sure to keep your receipts to ask to be reimbursed and remember that they reserve the right to deny any excessive expenses claims.
If you’re experiencing Luton Airport delays today by over 5 hours you can request a refund and the airline may give you the option not to travel.
If my flight delay means I have to cancel my holiday, will the airline pay reimburse me for my loss?
Unfortunately, the most common answer here is “no”. The airline isn’t responsible for your holiday and unless the flight is cancelled by the airlines’ fault, they will not pay for the cancellation of your accommodation or cancellation of any other arrangements. This means that if they cannot fly due to snow or other bad weather conditions, you’ll have to take care of cancelling your trip and taking on any cancellation fees.
However, if you have taken out a comprehensive travel insurance policy when you booked your holiday you should be able to claim back most of the expenses incurred from cancelling the holiday from your travel insurance provider.
Apps for claiming flight compensation
You can claim €20-€100 each time your flight is delayed by more than an hour. There’s no need to fill out a claims form or wait months for your compensation. Once your boarding pass has been uploaded, the app does the rest of the work. If you are delayed and owed anything, it’ll be paid to you within 24 hours of landing at your destination.
What to do when delayed?
Avoid The Stress
When adverse weather conditions affect your trip, one of the things you can do to make your journey easier is to try to keep the whole experience as stress-free as possible. We have a few tips on how to minimise stress when travelling:
- Check flight details with your airline as soon as possible, if your flight is cancelled you may be better off staying at home.
- Keep checking for up to date information about the airport either through Twitter.com or by calling the airline directly you can find all the airline numbers by clicking on the correct airport contact link above.
- Try to stay calm, you’re in safe hands at Luton Airport, the airlines know what they are doing and if your flight has been delayed today or cancelled it is for your own safety!
- If your flight has been cancelled make sure your airline transfers your flight.
- Probably the most important one, leave yourself plenty of time to get to the airport as driving to the airport is probably the most dangerous part of your journey.
The main thing is to try to stay calm, the airlines are doing everything they can to get your flight in the air without putting anyone’s life in jeopardy.
What your compensation means per hour of your flight delay and what to do now
Up to 2 hours
The best thing to do is to wait for your departure. If you’re travelling with kids, play some games; if you’re travelling for work, most airports have wifi so pick up a coffee and take a seat at your gate and plug in the laptop.
Check with any transfer companies you’ve pre-booked – taxis, coaches, airport transfers and so on – you may need to let them know that your flight has been delayed.
Up to 5 hours
After 5 hours, you can quality for a refund if you’re flight has been delayed for reasons outside of your control. You may be entitled to compensation for your flight delay and while you’re not guaranteed a pay-out, there’s no harm in checking.
Is your flight is part of a package holiday? Then you’ll need to contact your tour operator to deal with refunds and rearranging your flight.
9-24 hours
You now qualify for a refund so it’s your choice whether you want to stay put and wait or ask the airline if you can cancel and refund the trip. This may depend on the weather at Luton Airport or at your destination as well as the reason for your journey.
Check your passenger rights on what you can get compensated for – you are not eligible for financial compensation if your flight is delayed but you are entitled to food, refreshments and accommodation if your flight is delayed overnight.
Top tip: Make sure your airline agrees to provide you with accommodation before you book as they can deny excessive expense claims – if possible, it’s worth getting verbal and/or written consent (even in an email) as proof.
You can wrap up warm and take a nap in the departure lounge or look into what airport hotels are available and which ones you can get reimbursed for by your airline and remember to keep the receipts…
If you’re returning to work but can’t make it back in time, it’s worth contacting your employer as they’re not legally required to pay you for hours you’re unable to work because of flight delays or cancellations.
What do I do if my flight’s been cancelled?
Your airline must give you the option of rebooking an alternative flight or requesting a refund. If you’re abroad, you’ll want to check for alternative flights to get home as quickly and safely as possible.
Find the shortest queue to rebook your flight and call the customer service line while you’re queuing up, you may be served on the phone before you reach the end of the queue which will get you on your way faster.
Top tip: if you know you’ll have to stay overnight, why not call up a local hotel while you’re in the queue as well – when a flight’s cancelled, rooms will be snapped up fast!
Getting to the end of the queue: the rule here is, if you don’t ask, you won’t get. If you’re forced to stay overnight, ask if your airline will reimburse you.
If getting an alternative flight is not an option then you should consider alternative modes of transport. For example, you could consider hiring a car and driving to your destination.
Top tip: Some airports rely on train and/or ferry transfers so if you’re travelling to a neighbouring country, your airport may offer you a ferry-alternative London to Paris, so if you’re travelling to mainland Europe, you could take the Eurostar…
Bear in mind that if the flight is cancelled due to reasons out of the airline’s control they will not pay to cancel your holiday accommodation or any other arrangements such as taxis or pre-booked activities. If you’ve taken out travel insurance then you should be able to claim back most of your expenses from them, regardless.
Questions and Answers about Delays
What should I do if my flight is cancelled and there are no alternative flights available at the airport?
The airline has a legal obligation to provide you with a flight to your destination as your ticket is a contract with them. If there are no later flights available you should ask the airline to book you a flight from another airport and pay for your transport to that airport. If this is not an option then you should consider alternative modes of transport.
What if I’m flying with young children and my flight has been cancelled or delayed?
You may not be lucky enough to be stranded at Frankfurt’s international airport where four clowns have been hired to perform in the terminals but there are still plenty of ways to keep the kids entertained in the midst of all the chaos and avoid any more stress.
Most major airports will have unsupervised play areas that young children can use as well as there being shops to browse and other amusements throughout the terminal. If you’re willing to pay to enter an airport lounge then there will be toys, games, an arcade and magazines available.
You can’t go wrong with the classics, a game of “I spy” requires nothing but a keen eye and can be an excellent way of keeping children amused if you need to spend a minute sorting out your travel arrangements.
Through a child’s eyes, an airport can look like one big playground. As long as there is supervision letting the kids ride the escalators up and down and play with the trolleys may get rid of the pent up energy they may have accumulated from all the waiting around.
Find out what Luton Airport’s children facilities are, and how to entertain the kids while waiting for Luton Airport delays information.
What do I do about work if my flight is delayed?
Contact your employer if you’re abroad and can’t get back to work on time. Your workplace isn’t required to pay you if you’re not at work due to flight delays but each employer is different to it’s worth giving them a call and discussing your options.
Getting To The Airport
I need to get to the airport but there are major transport disruptions.
The effects caused by severe weather conditions is not only likely to impact airport flight schedules but can also cause delays and disruptions throughout the major transport networks across the UK. Striking action can also lead to disruptions which although usually localised to certain organisation and locations can still affect your journey.
Unfortunately, this can and does lead to many passengers having a very stressful time getting to Luton airport, with some failing to make their flight altogether. The key to avoiding these problems however lays simply in planning your journey effectively.
In situations where there is snow and ice drivers are urged to keep plenty of distance between vehicles and drive slowly to ensure they’re always completely in control of their vehicle. Trains may also be travelling at slower speeds than usual. Taking the extra time it will take to reach your destination into consideration when planning your journey will help ensure you make it in plenty of time.
Keeping yourself informed will play a major part in streamlining your journey. Utilise news websites, Twitter and radio so your up-to-date with the latest news regarding your method of transportation which should help you avoid any problematic routes.
There can sometimes be cases where it just won’t be possible for you to make your flight, for example, weather that is so severe that it is unsafe for you to travel.
In such circumstances where no one is really at fault, you should check your flight’s status and speak to your airline as it’s more than likely to be affected if the weather conditions are that bad or alternatively look to your travel insurance for compensation.
What causes flight delays?
Why is my flight delayed?
Check out the Flight Delay Tool above, to help figure out why your Luton flight is delayed and whether you could be entitled to compensation.
To find out what the weather’s like in London today and what the Luton Airport weather warnings are, we recommend finding your flight details with our online Flight Departures Board. Often Luton will provide warnings if your destination airport is closed or disrupted in any way. If you’re flying to Bali where there’s a volcanic ash cloud, your flights will be cancelled or if you’re flying to Florida where there’s a hurricane, you’re likely to need to rethink your trip.
Alternatively, weather warnings will be in relation to the UK, such as Storm Doris in February 2017. Our online departures board will give you the most accurate times for your flights and any Heathrow disruptions today.
As for why your specific flight is delayed, stay up to date on your airlines’ social media, website or local news for the latest Luton Airport delays information.
Likely causes for Luton Airport delays and cancellations are weather disruptions, technical issues or strike action; but really Luton disruption could come down to a whole array of causes, both in the UK and at your destination. See how different weather type affects flying below – from snow to rain, wind and fog. If you’re receiving news that your flight is delayed for other reasons, it’s possible there are strikes, a technical error or in exceptional circumstances, the airline may no longer be flying.
Snow disruption at the airports
Airports are disrupted due to snow because of the additional processes that need to be undertaken to make sure planes are safe to fly. Roads and runways need to be cleared of snow and ice and planes must be de-iced.
A plane must be completely de-iced before it can take off as any ice on the plane affects the aircraft wings and fuselage which makes the planes more difficult to control.
In severely cold temperatures, planes must take off as soon as they are de-iced to prevent ice from building up again. De-icing just before flying, therefore, means that none can be done in advance at the start of the day. It’s all about timing here rather than efficiency.
The runways and roads must also be snow and ice-free which the airport usually clears. If the airport is inflicted with heavy snow then the airport may have to be closed while the airport is cleared of all snow. Planes cannot take off when there is any snow on the ground.
Larger airports like Luton and Gatwick are more impacted by severe weather than smaller airports as they have so many flights that a delay of a few hours causes a huge backlog of flights.
It’s important to stay up to date with any changes in your flight delay, so for all the latest Luton Airport delays information, we recommend checking social media as the quickest and latest feed.
But don’t just take our word for it. Follow us and look up the airline you’re flying with to be sure. Whether that’s Ryanair, Easyjet, all major airlines have Twitter handles so you can keep up to date on your phone for flight delays today.
