What to do if your flight is cancelled or delayed
Have you experienced a flight delay or cancellation before? Here's a quick checklist on what to do.
People who have travelled on a plane before would have at least experienced a flight delay—whether it’s 30 minutes or more than six hours—or had their flight cancelled and rescheduled. Travel disruptions are never pleasant to deal with, but do you know what you need to do in the event of a flight delay or cancellation?
1. Find out the details of the flight delay or cancellation
The first thing to do is to check with the airline staff what is causing the delay and how long the delay will be. These are crucial details that will not only affect the rest of your travel plans, but are also necessary for making a claim or refund.
2. Get it in writing
Usually, the airline staff will provide its customers with black-and-white evidence of the flight delay. This includes stating the airline and flight number, the original and new departure times, and the reason for the delay. Travel insurance will need this evidence to process your claim, if any.
For the record, travel insurance normally compensates for every six hours of travel delay. If your flight is only delayed by 30 minutes, you can’t request compensation.
3. Request for compensation
If you incur any expenses due to the delay, your first port of call is to seek help from the airline or travel provider. Generally, they can get you on the next available flight, provide you with accommodation, or refund you. But when all else fails, you can always fall back on your travel insurance. You will need evidence that you’ve tried to work things out with the airline or travel provider though.
4. Keep all documentation
Processing claims are very systematic, so the more documentation you have, the smoother and easier the process will be. Travel documentation includes the flight delay evidence and the receipts for the costs you’ve incurred due to the delay, such as the transport fees to another airport, or the hotel accommodation costs, if the flight has been delayed by a day.
5. Check in with your travel insurance provider
As travel insurance plans are different, the things they cover will vary. You can check your Policy Wording for the full details. Or, if you prefer a more personal approach, you can always contact the travel insurance provider’s customer support for more information.
Get your travel insurance with Alliance Assistance | Income | Prudential!
Other travel things
Check airfare here: Skyscanner | Trip.com | Expedia
Book accommodations and activities here: Agoda | Booking.com | Klook | KKday | HotelsCombined | LuxuryEscapes
Save big, get the all-inclusive pass & explore your destination in-depth: GoCity
General info here: Tripadvisor
Affordable data plans here
