Worst US airports for flight cancellations

TO help travellers to make more informed decisions when it comes to holiday travel, researchers at InsureMyTrip reveal which airports to possibly avoid and how the latest data trends can aid travellers when comparing travel insurance benefits.

New York's LaGuardia (LGA) will be most stressful for travelers this Christmas, LGA reports the highest percentage of canceled flights (4.9%) so far this year.  Flights scheduled for departure between 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm are more susceptible to delays and cancellations.  If a flight is cancelled, most airlines will rebook travelers on the next available flight at no additional charge. However, airlines are not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a cancelled flight.

This is the list of the most stressful airports this Christmas, based on flight cancellation rates:

1.   LGA New York, NY:LaGuardia 

2.   ORF Norfolk, VA: Norfolk 

      International
3.   CHS Charleston, SC: Charleston 

      AFB/International
4.   ROC Rochester, NY: Greater       

      Rochester International
5.   PHL Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia 

      International
6.   EWR Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International
7.   PVD Providence, RI: Theodore Francis Green State
8.   DCA Washington, DC: Ronald Reagan Washington National
9.   BUF Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Niagara International
10. JFK New York, NY: John F. Kennedy International


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BA abandons Sharm el Sheikh ‘indefinitely’

BRITISH AIRWAYS has decided to suspend flights to Sharm el Sheikh in #Egypt indefinitely. 

British Airways, along with other UK airlines, suspended flights to Sharm in November, following a terrorist bomb attack on a Russian airliner, in which 224 passengers and crew were killed on a flight from Sharm to St. Petersburg. The British government then banned all flights to the airport until it was satisfied that security there had been improved.

Despite hopes that the BA suspension would be lifted from September, it has now said: ‘The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to #SharmelSheikh indefinitely.

‘Customers who hold bookings on any cancelled services for the coming winter season can claim a full refund or can use the money to cover a new booking with us for an alternative destination.

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Picture Credit: il Mercato - Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt via photopin.com)

Brits lead flight claims league

FLIGHT delay compensation claims processed by refund.me, the passenger rights legal services provider, reached record levels during for the peak summer holiday travel season June through September. 

The four-month period saw refund.me process claims for flight delays and cancellations against 151 airlines. UK passengers sought compensation from more airlines than other European passengers, lodging claims against 96 different airlines.

While the number of claims lodged against individual airlines differed from country to country, aggregate numbers show that of complaints against all airlines, 13 percent of compensation claims were directed against Spanish low-cost airline Vueling. easyJet received eight percent of all claims, followed by Ryanair (5%), Air France (3.5%), and British Airways (3%).

Vueling also attracted the highest percentage of complaints from UK passengers during the study period. Of the 96 airlines, Vueling accounted for 11 percent of all claims presented for compensation. EasyJet followed at seven percent, Ryanair at six percent, and British Airways and Norwegian tied at 5 percent.

Eve Buchner, founder and CEO of refund.me, says: ‘Our study confirms the trend for an increase in complaints over travel-intensive holiday seasons. While the data is a snapshot from the UK and selected European countries, it highlights that overall, charter and low-cost airlines consistently under-perform in comparison to scheduled carriers. Passengers endure more travel disruption and we are seeing a significant upsurge in passengers asserting their rights to compensation under EU law.’

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Picture Credit: GoHoliday via WikiMedia Commons

Spanish air traffic control strikes imminent

THE start of peak summer flight schedules to Spain face disruption due to planned strikes by air traffic controllers over two weekends. Industrial action by Spanish air traffic staff is due to start tomorrow (July 11) and Sunday (July 12). 

A second walk-out is also threatened for the weekend of July 25-26.

Airlines are putting contingency plans in place to try to avert delays and cancellations.

easyJet said: ‘Like all airlines flying to and from Spain, if this action goes ahead, we expect an impact to our flights during this period. We would like to assure our passengers that we are preparing for any disruption if the strike does proceed and will do everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this on your journey.’

The latest strike action follows partial stoppages by controllers over four days in June.

The Spanish air traffic control service expects to operate 80% of services during the strike periods while talks continue with the air controllers’ union.

The dispute dates back to the dismissal of a controller in Santiago de Compostela and a wildcat strike by controllers in 2010.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40617296@N08/3888866534">Spain Flag</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)