Airlines have issued a warning over potential flight disruption as Storm Goretti continues with more snow, ice and rain on the way.
The UK braces for the ongoing winter storm, which has left at least one person dead when a tree fell on a caravan in Cornwall, killing a man in his 50s. Nearly 22,200 homes were without power this afternoon in the South West following strong winds.
East Midlands Airport was hit by heavy snowfall, which forced the runway to close, while flights were grounded after a temporary airfield closure at Birmingham Airport while snow and ice were cleared.
And the weather has more in store, putting weekend plans, including travel, at risk. The Met Office issued a new amber alert for snow in Scotland active until tomorrow afternoon, and further yellow alerts for snow, ice and rain in parts of England, which could lead to flooding.
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Ryanair and Jet2 have warned passengers that flights might be affected this weekend and until Monday due to the weather conditions.
Jet2 said in a travel alert today: ‘The Met Office have issued various Amber warnings due to Storm Goretti affecting parts of the UK from Thursday evening, warning of high winds, rain, sleet and snow in parts.
‘These conditions are forecast to continue into the weekend.
‘If you are travelling with Jet2.com we plan to operate our flights as close to schedule as possible, however, there may be some disruption should the weather or the forecast deteriorate.
‘We will, where possible, board all flights for an on-time departure, however, please be prepared for a longer than normal wait either in the terminal or onboard the aircraft to depart.’
Passengers are urged to ensure their contact information under their booking section of the app or the website is up to date in case the airline has to get in touch about possible disruption.
Meanwhile, Ryanair said operations are potentially disrupted to and from the UK today due to de-icing.
The budget airline said: ‘Affected passengers will be notified and we encourage all passengers due to travel to/from the UK to keep an eye on the Ryanair app for the latest updates.’
What are my rights if my flight has been cancelled?
In the UK and EU, airlines must look after you if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
This includes everything from meals and accommodation to an alternative flight if necessary.
Citizen’s Advice says that airlines should also give impacted passengers access to phone calls and emails, and, if they offer you a place to stay, organize the journeys between the hotel and the airport.
Sometimes, the airline will cover this by handing you vouchers at the airport. When in doubt, keep any receipts for expenses and claim them back afterwards from the airline.
But an airline will only cough up money for ‘reasonable’ expenses.
The hotel minibar or penthouse suites are not up for grabs.
If you didn’t book with a UK or EU airline, you’ll need to check their terms and conditions. However, for the most part, airlines should provide meals and accommodation as appropriate.
When am I eligible for this support?
Whether you’re eligible for the above depends on the distance of your flight and how long you have waited:
For medium-haul (between 1,500km and 3,500km over two to four hours), it’s three hours or more.
For long-haul (more than 3,500km over four hours or more), it’s four hours or more.
For short-haul (up to 1,500km over two hours or less), you must have been waiting for two hours or more.
Is train travel affected by Storm Goretti?
Although the worst of Storm Goretti is thought to have passed, poor weather conditions could still hamper train travel until Monday, so if you are travelling, check your journey before setting off.
In Wales, several train lines remain blocked after trees fell down.
The following issues are affecting railways:
- Buses replace trains between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton until tomorrow, Sunday
- No trains between Shrewsbury and Swansea on the Heart of Wales line today after fallen trees
- The storm damaged signalling equipment in Cornwall, so there are no trains between Par and Newquay until the end of the day on Sunday
- And on the line between Truro and Falmouth Docks, buses will replace trains as several trees fell down on the line and signalling systems were damaged
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