Expat professional problems often include cancelled flights

One annoying reality for expat professionals who need to travel frequently is the risk of a cancelled flight.

Today’s expat professionals employed by multinational companies can expect to travel between local offices and headquarters on a regular basis, dependent on their positions within the organisation. Especially if the trip is time-dependent, there’s nothing more frustrating than a last-minute flight cancellation. Nowadays, this isn’t as rare as previously, with over 2,000 flights cancelled and over 30,000 delayed in any one week, according to a leading aviation monitor’s website.

Although those affected are certain to have been inconvenienced, it’s the financial strain as well as the chore of rebooking that’s the most annoying aspect of this regular event. Most expats are aware that, should a flight be grounded, travellers are fully entitled to a refund no matter why the cancellation was called. Expat business people are also aware it’s the airline’s responsibility to find another suitable flight and transfer stranded passengers as fast as possible.

Less known is the fact that it’s not compulsory to accept the suggested alternative and that compensation can be claimed. If it’s a pan-European flight that’s been cancelled, and should the airline be unable to provide a replacement within a ‘reasonable amount of time’, passengers can demand a booking with an alternative carrier at no cost to themselves. In European law, compensation is strictly regulated, with the amount offered dependent on several factors including the timing of the cancellation prior to the actual flight and the distance of the replacement journey.

Other factors include the length of the flight and the time of its arrival. Sadly, many carriers have been known to attempt to get out of their legal responsibilities as regards compensation so it pays to check the exact rules if your job requires frequent flying on commercial services.