What are your rights if you were affected by airport cyberattacks?

Airports across Europe are still grappling with the aftermath of a cyberattack that grounded hundreds of flights over the weekend.

On Friday, many of the largest airports in Europe, including London Heathrow and Brussels, faced major disruption after the alleged ransomware attack targeted Collins Aerospace, the company behind automatic check-in and boarding software.

The attack snarled up check-in and left airline staff trying options like handwriting boarding passes or using backup laptops.

Here are all the flights that are still affected by the disruption and what passengers need to know about their rights to reimbursement and compensation.

Which airports are still seeing delays and cancellations?

Collins Aerospace said in a statement on Monday morning that it was in the final stages of completing necessary updates to rectify the issue, but the knock-on effects are still being felt at some airports.

Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport was one of the hardest hit, with hundreds of flights cancelled since Friday.

On Wednesday, there are several delayed departures throughout the day. There are still a few cancellations, including a Brussels Airlines service to Krakow, a Brussels Airlines service to Vienna, and a British Airways service to London Heathrow.

Brussels Airport is still advising passengers to check their flight status with their airline before coming to the airport, only come to the airport if their flight is confirmed, and check in online in advance.

“Passengers with a confirmed flight should come to the airport in time (two hours in advance for a flight within the Schengen area and three hours for a flight outside the Schengen area) and follow the information channels of the airport for updates,” the airport states on its website.

Berlin Airport

Berlin Airport is still battling the impact of the cyber attack, as “the provider of the computer-controlled passenger and baggage handling system used at BER Airport, among other locations, has announced that it may take several more days to provide functional and secure software.”

Given that check-in and boarding are still largely manual, longer processing times, delays, and cancellations by airlines may continue, the airport warns.

Passengers are advised to check with their airline well in advance to find out whether their booked flight is taking place.

Cancellations include a KLM service to Amsterdam, Lufthansa to Munich, Austrian Airlines to Vienna, and Lufthansa to Frankfurt.

Berlin Airport continues to recommend that passengers use their airline’s online check-in service to avoid waiting times at the counters. There are also numerous self-service machines available in the terminals.

London Heathrow

London Heathrow is also still warning passengers of minor disruption on Wednesday. There are a few delays, plus two cancellations: an American Airlines flight to New York City and a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.

“We are supporting affected airlines with their contingencies and have deployed additional colleagues in terminals to assist passengers,” a message on its website reads.

“The vast majority of flights at Heathrow are operating as normal, but we encourage passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport and to arrive no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short-haul.”

Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport was also impacted by the attack. A few flights are delayed on Wednesday, and cancellations include an Aer Lingus service to London Heathrow and a KLM service to Amsterdam.

Passenger rights to reimbursement for delayed and cancelled flights

If your flight is cancelled, your airline should offer you either a refund or an alternative flight.

But in terms of compensation, you’ll usually only be able to claim if your airline or tour operator cancels your trip, or if your government advises against travel to your destination, explains Michelle Cooper, director of travel insurance at Saga.

For delayed and cancelled flights, what can travel insurance cover?

If your flight was cancelled, your travel insurance may cover additional costs, such as booking a new flight or accommodation, depending on your policy terms.

For delayed flights, most insurance policies will also offer a delayed departure cover, so it’s also worth checking your insurance policy, Cooper says.

“If you’re struggling to find a clear option home, your travel insurance provider can advise you on support available and what costs you may be able to claim for.”

If you were unable to return home as planned because of the cyber attack, many travel insurance policies can cover reasonable additional costs, such as extra accommodation, meals and transport.

“It’s important to check your specific policy wording, but generally, if the delay or cancellation is outside your control, you may be able to make a claim,” Cooper says.

“Keeping a clear record of all your extra expenses because of the disruption is important. It’s strongly recommended that travellers retain all receipts for accommodation, meals, and transport, along with written confirmation from airlines or travel providers about any cancellations or delays – like emails and texts.”

Cooper also recommends taking photos of receipts.

“These documents will be needed when submitting a claim. Where possible, take screenshots of airline communications and save copies offline too.”