At a glance:
- New research shows that industry must improve communications with consumers during disruption.
- Record breaking numbers of holidaymakers set to take off from UK airports this summer in the biggest summer getaway the UK has ever seen
- Just one in ten passengers feel fully informed of their rights when their flight is disrupted.
Ahead of what is expected to be the busiest summer holiday period the UK has ever seen, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has published new research showing that just one in 10 passengers (10 percent) said they felt fully informed about their rights in the event of a flight disruption.
Ahead of what is expected to be the busiest summer holiday period the UK has ever seen, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has published new research showing that just one in 10 passengers (10 percent) said they felt fully informed about their rights in the event of a flight disruption.
The number of passengers passing through UK airports this summer is predicted to surpass the pre-pandemic 2019 figure of 23.8 million.
The Civil Aviation Authority is helping passengers to be aware of their rights by publishing accessible guides on social media and also reminding airlines of their responsibilities to look after passengers if something happens to their flight.
The research is the first stage of a work programme being undertaken by the regulator which aims to improve industry communications with consumers during disruption: ensuring those affected know their rights and receive the assistance that they are entitled to. This partly stems from recommendations made by an independent review of the NATS air traffic control outage in 2023 and will be complemented by an upcoming compliance programme designed to ensure that airlines are meeting their obligations to consumers when they face disruption.
Selina Chadha, Group Director for Consumers & Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:
“Flight disruption is often unavoidable in the complex global aviation system, but what our research shows is that there is a clear gap in what passengers expect from airlines, and what is currently being delivered.
“When faced with disruption passengers need to know what they are entitled to, and airlines need to give clear, timely information. Airlines that recognise the importance of good communication when something goes wrong can transform loyalty-damaging experiences into trust building moments that reduce passenger distress."
Other key findings from the research published today include:
- Nearly two thirds of passengers expressed dissatisfaction with communications and over half (57 percent) of passengers felt that airlines providing more detailed information during disruption would have improved their experience.
- First notification is a critical moment to get right, with nearly half (45 percent) of passengers being actively dissatisfied with how the disruption they faced was initially communicated.
- 57 percent of passengers wanted more information during disruption, and 56 percent wanted more frequent communication - only one third (34 percent) of passengers were satisfied with the frequency of updates they received from their airline.
- Passengers who are not satisfied with their communications are more likely to claim for some form of compensation or reimbursement, compared to those who are satisfied with their communications (36 percent of those dissatisfied with initial comms attempted to claim for compensation, versus 27 percent of those satisfied).
- SMS text is the preferred channel at first notification of delay for 64 percent of passengers (as it does not rely on connection to internet which many passengers abroad may not have).
- Despite 92 percent of passengers claiming to check flight status before arriving at the airport, 41 percent found out about their disruption through airport speakers / boards.
- Nearly 1 in 10 (7 percent) of passengers who experienced a flight cancellation (not a delay) ended up cancelling their trip entirely.
Through its ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign, the Civil Aviation Authority is reminding passengers of the importance of being aware of their rights so they can claim what they are legally entitled to if something happens to their flight. To help passengers if their flight is disrupted, the regulator has produced a series of short, animated videos that are available online and on its social media channels.
Notes to Editor:
A link to the full research report can be found on UK Civil Aviation Authority website.
Civil Aviation Authority broadcast spokespeople are available on request.
More information on consumer issues can also be found on the UK Civil Aviation Authority website and social media channels.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation and aerospace regulator. We work so that the aviation industry meets the highest safety standards and consumers have choice and are protected and treated fairly when they fly. Our mission statement is ‘Protecting people, enabling aerospace.’
In the period mid-July to end of August last year, 23.4 million people jetted off abroad from the UK, just down on the 23.8 million for the same period in 2019. Passenger numbers are currently around five percent higher year on year, meaning we could see the biggest number on people on record travelling through UK airports during the school summer holidays this year.
Under UK261 legislation, airlines have a legal responsibility to look after passengers when their flight is disrupted. The regulations ensure that, depending on the length of their delay, passengers are entitled to refreshments, rerouting, or refunds, and, under certain conditions, financial compensation.
The Civil Aviation Authority commissioned Yonder Consulting to undertake this programme of research into the communication preferences of consumers when they face flight disruption. In order to understand these preferences, we first looked to understand the current experience of consumers, identifying where this led to both positive and negative consumer outcomes. Views were then sought on changes which could be made to communications by airlines which would lead to improved passenger experience. Research was conducted between 3rd February and 3rd of April 2025.
The research programme consisted of five phases: Desk Research; Online Community; Virtual group interviews; Virtual depth 1-2-1 interviews with passengers identified as vulnerable and a Quantitative Survey.