Heathrow fire: Can I claim compensation for cancelled flights at Edinburgh, Glasgow airports? Scotland advice

The closure of London Heathrow Airport due to a major substation fire on Friday has wrecked the travel plans of around 200,000 people.

And passengers due on tens of flights due to either depart or arrive at Scottish airports, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, have also been cancelled, as the country is caught up in the grip of major travel disruption.

All flights between Edinburgh and Heathrow have been cancelled | x

British Airways flights are those principally impacted for airports across Scotland. A total of ten departures and 12 arrivals at Edinburgh Airport from London Heathrow have been cancelled for Friday.

These flights carry about 2,800 passengers a day among 37,000 daily passengers at Edinburgh.

Here, The Scotsman answers nine key questions on assistance, refunds and compensation for those whose flight at a Scottish airport has been either cancelled or significantly delayed.

What flights are covered by UK consumer law?

Flights operated by an airline departing from a UK airport, flights operated by a UK or EU airline arriving at a UK airport, or flights operated by a UK airline arriving at an EU airport.

What options do passengers have?

They will have the choice of being re-booked on to an alternative flight, or accepting a refund.

What does re-booking involve?

If a flight is cancelled, airlines are required to get you to your destination if you still want to travel.

Most will book you on to another of their flights, but you may be entitled to travel with another airline or by an alternative mode of transport if it will get you to your destination significantly sooner.

The scene at Edinburgh airport after the closure of Heathrow has thrown the country into travel chaos, March 21 2025. | Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS

Passengers doing this are often required to purchase their own tickets and submit a claim to their original airline for reimbursement.

What assistance should be provided by airlines?

Airlines have a duty of care to stranded passengers.

This includes a reasonable amount of food and drink (often via vouchers), a means to communicate (often by refunding the cost of phone calls), and accommodation and transfers if an overnight stay is required.

What happens in reality?

Airlines often fail to provide this assistance during major disruption because they are overwhelmed by requests and there are not enough available rooms in local hotels.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says in this scenario, passengers can organise their own assistance and claim the costs back from the airline by submitting receipts.

Does that mean I should book a luxury hotel suite and order champagne?

Airlines are unlikely to reimburse you for that. The CAA advises passengers not to “spend more than is reasonable”.

Should I keep any receipts?

Passengers are advised to keep hold of all boarding passes and receipts for food, drink and accommodation, to help speed up any claims process.

How long must assistance be provided?

Until your flight takes off or you accept a refund after deciding not to travel.

Am I entitled to compensation for a delayed flight?

Not for Friday’s incident, as the fire was outside airlines’ control.

What is the advice for all Scottish passengers?

Conor Forbes, policy director at Advice Direct Scotland, said: “If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you might be entitled to compensation, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

“UK law requires airlines to compensate passengers for delays or cancellations, but this depends on several factors, including the length of the delay and its cause.

Malarie and Maranda from Oklahoma wait at Edinburgh airport after the closure of Heathrow has thrown the country into travel chaos, March 21 2025. | Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS

“If the delay is minor, you may not qualify for compensation. Airlines are also not obliged to pay out if the disruption is due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’ beyond their control.

“For those affected today, airlines may argue that the fire at Heathrow falls under this category, meaning compensation may not be available.

“However, if a flight is delayed or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, airlines must still provide assistance, such as meals and refreshments, depending on the delay length. If you have further concerns, you can speak directly with a consumer expert on 0808 164 6000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or visit www.consumeradvice.scot.”

Anton Radchenko, international aviation lawyer and chief executive of AirAdvisor, said: “If you were due to travel to Heathrow with British Airways via Edinburgh Airport today, we suggest that you reach out to BA and seek a replacement flight to your intended destination from them. They are obliged to provide you with this and it could be with a different airline from Edinburgh, from another airport - or both.

“If you have decided that you want to cancel your trip, you are entitled to a refund equivalent to the value of the price of your ticket.

“It’s very likely that today’s events will have a domino-effect on flights tomorrow and potentially the day after too, as Heathrow will likely not be able to double daily capacity to accommodate postponed flights from today. If you’re due to travel over the weekend, you may wish to re-book for next week when the situation begins to resolve itself."