West London travelers have a very good chance of flying being a normal part of their routine; Heathrow is relatively local, Gatwick is still viable as a weekend getaway option, and a business trip is likely to fit around your schedule rather than taking over your week. But once a delay occurs everything gets much more complicated, quickly. The costs of a delay don’t stop at a £10 airport sandwich. They continue as missed trains, additional childcare fees, hotel bills, lost working hours, and the administrative nightmare that will drag on for weeks after the delay has occurred.
Cost mapping: what types of costs are triggered by a delay?
The best way to mitigate the risk of exposure to delays is to document the realistic cost impact that can occur due to a delay. The four primary categories include transportation, accommodation, work-related expenses and any consequential costs related to bookings (flight or other).
Transportation costs commonly begin with parking and rail. A late return may result in the need to pay for extended parking at the airport, and/or may cause you to miss the last direct train, resulting in taxi fares or split journeys. In addition, a cancellation may require a one-way rail ticket the following day, which could be significantly more costly than originally anticipated.
Accommodation costs are often incurred when a disruption results in the need to stay overnight. Although many airlines provide support when disruptions occur, it is generally understood that travelers will frequently book accommodations prior to arguing about compensation, therefore, the key is to ensure that the accommodations booked are reasonable and capable of being defended.
Rights vs. Practical Support: What to Document Early On
Once a delay occurs, there are two parallel avenues of action. One is the provision of immediate assistance; the second is determining whether the incident subsequently meets the requirements for compensation. While both relate to the same disruption, they are not necessarily the same issue.
Immediate Assistance refers to the care provided during the wait, including refreshments, meals, communication and in some cases, accommodations and transportation, should an overnight stay become necessary. Whether immediate assistance is applicable and when depends on the circumstances of the disruption and how the airline manages the disruption.
Compensation is a separate consideration, and is generally based upon the duration of the delay and the reason for the delay. Therefore, in instances where the disruption becomes significant, it would be beneficial to review the criteria for obtaining flight delay compensation. Reviewing these criteria early, benefits the traveler by changing the nature of how evidence is documented. Additionally, reviewing these criteria early, assists the traveler in determining which costs require documentation with receipts, and which events warrant a written account.
As a general principle, document evidence while it is readily available. Retain boarding passes and booking confirmations. Take screenshots of delay notifications and any stated reasons for the delay. Document the time at which you were advised of the delay and the time at which you arrived at the gate, versus the departure time.
A Systems Approach to Minimizing Delay-Related Expenses
Frequent travelers minimize disruption-related costs through the use of small buffers, and by minimizing reliance on single points of failure.
Booking Strategy Matters:
The cheapest late Friday flight for a weekend getaway is not always the safest bet. Booking a flight with a small buffer before the weekend often greatly increases the chances that a delay will not ruin the first night. Booking the outbound flight on a Thursday for a Friday business trip is sometimes considered rational, even though it appears less efficient on paper.
Connection Planning:
Tight connections are high-risk choices when the airports are busy. If a tight connection is unavoidable, selecting a longer minimum connection time may end up costing less than an overnight hotel room later.
Insurance and Payment Method:
Some travel insurance policies cover specific types of disruption-related costs, however only with documentation and subject to limits. Paying for travel using a credit card that offers travel protection may also assist, although the terms of each card are different, and require documentation.
Packing Decisions Can Reduce Forced Spending:
Carrying essential items in carry-on baggage minimizes the necessity to purchase replacement items in the event that your checked bags are delayed. For work travel, this may include laptop accessories and a spare set of clothing. For weekend breaks, it may simply include toiletry items and an alternate set of clothing. This is not about carrying too much. This is about eliminating unnecessary purchases that ultimately add up.
