One in four people experienced flight delays of more than two hours in 2018, according to a new survey.
The research, which was conducted by AA Travel Insurance, found that 19% of passengers had experienced a two-hour or more delay, while 6% of respondents said they had experienced such delays on multiple flights throughout the year.
The survey of 4,000 respondents also found that more 7% of people were forced to cancel a holiday at the last minute in 2018.
AA warned against passengers taking unnecessary risks when it comes to flying without travel insurance after the survey found that 15% people travelled abroad on at least one occasion without cover in place during the past 12 months.
Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs, said: “Delays flights are a major inconvenience for many people travelling abroad and can easily put you in the awkward position of having to re-book connecting flights or amend accommodation bookings as a result of events outside of your control.
However, in the grand scheme of things, it’s a relatively minor inconvenience in comparison to having to actually cancel your holiday because of personal or work-related issues.
“Depending on how close to your departure date the issues arise, you could well be left on the hook for the costs of your flights and potentially the full cost of your accommodation depending on the hotel’s policy," he said.
Mr Faughnan highlighted the importance of travel insurance when such a situation arises that could potentially ruin a trip.
