Storm Ciarán is upon us, and it’s causing havoc for many travellers.

Storm Ciarán is the third named storm of this year and will bring with it damaging winds and heavy rain.  

The Met Office have issued severe weather warnings, and the impact could be felt for some days, and possibly lasting through into the weekend. 

The UK is only one of several countries to be affected by Storm Ciarán. France and the Netherlands are also affected, and the consequences of travelling to and from many destinations within Europe are likely to impact thousands of people. 

Hundreds of flights into, or out of the UK have either been cancelled or delayed, leading to missed connections and cancelled travel plans. Airlines will be altering their schedules to cope, and sadly this will affect many passengers. If you are planning to fly today or over the next few days, we urge you to check with your airline as soon as possible.  

What are your rights if your flight is cancelled or delayed due to Storm Ciarán? 

Adverse weather conditions, such as those caused by Storm Ciarán, are known as ‘extraordinary circumstances’, meaning that it’s a situation that is outside of the direct control of the airline and therefore, you will not be able to claim for compensation due to the disruption. 

That said, airlines still have a duty to assist their customers by re-booking their flights onto the next available flight (even if the next available flight is operated by another airline) and providing food and drink, along with access to communication, or in some cases overnight accommodation. If you incur any expenses yourself, make sure that these are reasonable and keep the receipts to ask for re-imbursement from your airline later.  

You can view more information about your passenger rights on our website: https://www.airtravelclaim.com/faqs/ 

Check your flight status. 

If you are already at the airport, speak to your airline ground staff to get the current information and advice about your flight. 

If you are yet to travel to the airport, check with your airlines’ website for information; but also check the roads and rail networks, as these will also be affected and may cause you difficulty in reaching the airport.