Flights and airports Connecting flights and delays
You may be entitled to assistance if a flight delay makes you miss a connecting flight
If you are taking flights on two separate planes to reach your final destination, and your first flight is delayed (or cancelled), you may well miss your connection onto the second flight. If this happens, your rights depend on whether the whole journey is provided by:
- one or two airlines providing both legs under one overall booking
- two airlines under two separate bookings
If your flight is part of a package holiday, you have further rights under the Package Travel Regulations 1992.
Two legs, one booking
If you buy a ticket where the first flight is, for instance, from London Heathrow to Atlanta, and the onward flight is from Atlanta to Nashville, then if a delay from the first airline causes you to miss the connecting flight, it is responsible for getting you to your final destination.
Even if the booking involved separate airlines for each flight, you should be offered assistance, as long as it is regarded as one booking - whether under a single contract or a series of contracts - and involves airlines that are members of IATA (International Air Transport Association).
Alternatively, the first airline must make a refund. If part of the ticket has already been used, the refund will be the higher of either:
- the one-way fare from the point of interruption to the next destination
- the difference between the fare paid and the fare for the flight already taken
As long as, when booking, you had left a reasonable, sufficient time between flights at Atlanta to transfer yourself and your luggage, the Montreal Convention states that the first airline will have to look after you if the first delayed flight is its fault. It is liable for damage caused by delay, unless it shows it took all reasonable steps to avoid the damage, or it was impossible to take measures.
Damages would amount to what it would cost the passenger to replace what has been lost (a new fare on the second flight leg). You can expect to be rebooked onto the next available flight. If you can’t be re-routed until the next day, you could justify a claim for the cost of an overnight stay in a hotel and food.
Even in circumstances where the delay is beyond their control, most carriers include a clause in their terms and conditions agreeing to re-route the passenger as soon as possible on one of their own flights, on the flights of another carrier, or by surface transport.
Two legs, separate bookings
You may, for example, have booked a flight from Heathrow to Atlanta on one airline and made a separate reservation for another flight (either with the same or a different airline) from Atlanta to Nashville. If the flight from Heathrow is so delayed that you miss the connection at Atlanta, neither airline may be obliged to assist or compensate you.
It may be worth paying extra to get both flights in the same booking and so avoid the problems and expense caused if missing an onward flight.
But if you do book separate tickets, reduce the risk of missing a connecting flight by leaving plenty of time between flights for collecting luggage, checking in at the transfer airport and allowing for potential delays. Another airline may offer more frequent connections to choose from, or longer connecting times. Consider including an overnight stay between flights.
If possible, before booking, check each airline’s policy on missed connections to see what level of assistance you should expect.
Your rights if your flight is delayed
Your rights when booking a package holiday
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