As heavy snow brings airports across the UK to a halt, air passengers due to get on a plane should know their rights.
This morning and over the weekend heavy coatings of snow led to dozens of flight cancellations and Stansted, Manchester and Gatwick airports to close runways.
Passengers who battled through the conditions have been stuck in airport terminals waiting to see if their pre-Christmas trips home or on holiday can be salvaged.
If you find your flight does get cancelled because of snow or other forms of weather, then the good news is you have the legal right to either a full refund - including other flights from the airline that you won’t use in the same booking such as onward or return flights - or a replacement flight to get you to your destination.
If you’re part-way through a journey and you don’t want a replacement flight, you also have a right to a flight back to the airport you originally departed from.
Ask for a refund or replacement at the airport if you can. If not, you can claim from the airline later.
The bad news is that despite the potentially considerable inconvenience of having a flight cancelled, you're unlikely to get any compensation.
Airlines are not required to pay compensation for delays or cancellations caused by extraordinary events outside of their control.
While it does snow every now and again in the UK, it's generally considered a rare enough event to not be covered by compensation law.
The more common snow is in your area, then the higher the chance that you could be inline for some compensation if the white stuff does lead to travel disruption.
“It’s a common misconception that bad weather is always an extraordinary circumstance, which would stop the airlines having to pay compensation, Coby Benson, flight delay compensation solicitor at Bott and Co, said.
"However, delays caused by weather conditions that are not considered ‘freakish’ or ‘wholly exceptional’ are indeed covered by the regulation and many passengers could be owed compensation of up to £520 each.
How much compensation you might be able to claim depends on how far you were due to fly, and how long you were delayed for.
Citizens Advice has a full breakdown of the requirements.
The cold weather this weekend has had a major impact on the UK's roads and runways, just as the country was entering a period of near unprecedented travel disruption caused by strikes.
Border Force workers will strike on December 23, 24, 25 and 26, as well as 28, 29, 30 and 31 at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports, as well as Newhaven port.
Menzies baggage handlers covered by Unite are also walking out, meaning more potential for delays at airports over the Christmas period.
The RMT union has also called for days of strike action on the rails in the lead up and after Christmas Day.
