By Basant El-Faramawy
Travellers caught up in a wave of bomb threats across Europe this week are unlikely to receive compensation for disrupted flights, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said.
The CAA classified bomb hoaxes as “extraordinary circumstances” – situations not the responsibility of the airline – meaning passengers are not entitled to financial compensation under current regulations. The threats have affected multiple flights, with UK airports including Heathrow and Birmingham receiving threats, and services from London Stansted, Newcastle and Glasgow among those diverted or forced into emergency landings.
The government described the threats as “malicious hoaxes.” Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said that while compensation is unlikely, airlines still have a duty of care to provide meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation depending on the length of delay. Passengers also retain the right to a refund or rerouting at the earliest opportunity.
The International Air Transport Association urged authorities to identify the source of the hoax threats, which come amid broader concerns about information warfare following cyber attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and blood banks in Europe. Aviation security measures remain in place to ensure public safety, the association said.
