When flights are cancelled....

movilogo

Say all flights cancelled in an airport in day 1.
In day 2, airport opens as usual.

What happens now? Will the flights operate as usual for day 2 or first they will serve cancelled day 1 passengers and only then they will fly day 2 passengers?

richardw

Cancelled passengers are booked as available, with airlines wanting to minimise the cost of hotels.

movilogo

So if the flight was full on both day 1, 2 and say day 3, then day 1 (cancelled) passengers have to wait till a date when seats are available?

richardw

Yes, works like that, but airlines may do something to accommodate special requirements of a cancelled passenger.

Alan_Bowen

It depends what type of flight you have booked. Charter passengers will be carried usually in the order of the original flight, so today's passengers will get first go tomorrow and tomorrow's will have to wait for the plane to get back to the UK. Low cost carriers and old style BA etc operate on the basis that the passengers booked for the specific flight get first go and then delayed passengers take up the empty seats. The problem with low cost carriers is that they operate at 95% load factors and have few empty seats available whereas mainstream airlines often have 40% empty seats at this time of the year and will put larger aircraft on routes with high demand, whereas low cost carriers usually have no spare aircraft, large or small, at all