Flights & Access

The Northeast flight meltdown snarled thousands of flights, and here is what your airline really owes you

Air traffic control failures are rarely something airlines pay for. Here is what US and UK rules give you after Monday’s ground stops.

By Laxman Rawal · Sep 22, 2026

Key facts On Monday 21 September a failed circuit at the FAA's Philadelphia radar facility, plus a cut backup fibre line in New Jersey, triggered ground stops at Newark, Philadelphia, LaGuardia, JFK and Teterboro Ground stops began around 10 a.m. and…

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Ground stops hit Newark, Philadelphia, LaGuardia and JFK for about seven hours

A failed primary circuit at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control facility, combined with a severed backup fibre line in New Jersey, left the FAA holding flights on the ground across the Northeast for roughly seven hours on Monday 21 September. NJ…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

A US airline owes you a refund if you give up the trip, but not cash for the delay

Under US Department of Transportation rules, an airline must refund you in cash if it cancels your flight or changes it significantly and you choose not to take the alternative it offers. A significant change means a delay of three or more hours on a domestic…

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A UK passenger gets care and a refund or reroute, but probably not the £520

If UK261 covers your flight, the airline must look after you and give you a choice of a refund or a reroute even when air traffic control is to blame, but the cash compensation is normally off the table. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says extraordinary…

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What to do right now if your trip is caught up in it

Rebook in the airline app before you queue, and if you cannot travel at all, ask for the refund in writing rather than accepting a voucher. Keep every receipt for food, transport and hotels, because you may need them for the airline or for your insurer. Check…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News