Passengers denied compensation after Stansted and Heathrow disruptions

Passengers report being left out of pocket after incidents at Stansted and Heathrow prevented them reaching departure gates in time, and say they have been unable to obtain compensation. One traveller said that in September a fire in a Stansted departure lounge closed the terminal, forcing them to wait outside for nearly two hours and then another hour before security reopened; their flight departed empty and they were rebooked for the following day, leaving them more than £100 worse off.

The passenger said the airport told them it was not at fault and the airline said the empty flight left on time, while their insurer’s small print did not cover the circumstances. The previous month a couple at Heathrow said a botched software upgrade to traffic lights closed the road tunnel to Terminals 2 and 3, causing severe congestion and leaving them unable to reach their flight to Istanbul; they said staff and systems failed to explain the situation and they could not find a suitable alternative flight.

Heathrow rejected their claim and the dispute resolution service CEDR referred them to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which the passenger says told them there is no provision for a case like this.

Key Topics

Business, Stansted Airport, Heathrow Airport, Civil Aviation Authority, Cedr