Airport Parking: What to Do If My Flight is Delayed or Cancelled?

Flight delays and cancellations can be the most stressful events in travel. The inconvenience has a knock on effect, threatening the dates your hotel is booked, early day trips or activities, and transfers.

If it happens on your way home, your airport parking booking will likely be affected. In this guide, we’ll cover what happens to your car, potential overstay fees, and everything you need to know about flight delays and airport parking.

How Will a Delayed Flight Affect My Airport Parking Booking?

Airport parking companies know that things don’t always run 100% smoothly when it comes to travel. Many offer a grace period, where others calculate overstays on a daily or hourly basis, so it’s best to check with your car parking company to be sure. Meet and greet can be a bit more time sensitive, so you should always aim to give your provider as much notice as you can.

Fees and penalties are also largely specific to your chosen car park operator. Some airport parking companies don’t charge for overstays caused by flight delays. Some do, however, and there may be additional hourly or daily fees incurred.

If you’re worried about being overcharged, it’s best to contact your car park to make them aware of what’s going on.

What Happens if I Need to Cancel My Booking with Less Than 24 Hours’ Notice?

In the final 24 hours before your scheduled arrival, cancellation and amendment policies tend to get stricter. At this stage, reservations are usually fully confirmed with the car park and arrangements are set in place. This limits the flexibility to make changes.

If you need to cancel or change your booking at short notice, it’s still worth contacting your provider directly. The options available, as well as any fees that may apply will depend on the terms of your booking. You may have greater flexibility if you have cancellation protection or a flexible booking.

The options available, as well as any fees that may apply, will depend on the terms of your booking and the policies included. If you’ve purchased cancellation protection or booked a flexible rate, you may have greater flexibility to amend or cancel your reservation.

At SkyParkSecure, we’re usually unable to cancel or amend bookings in this timeframe, but you should still get in touch with us. We may be able to liaise with the car park on your behalf to see if there’s anything they can do for you in mitigating circumstances.

Will I Get an Airport Parking Refund for Flight Disruption?

Whether you’re entitled to a refund is usually at the discretion of your chosen car park and their policies. It’s also influenced by the reason for the travel disruption, and any cancellation protection or travel insurance you have in place. Some parking operators may offer refunds or amendments following a flight cancellation, while others may charge cancellation fees or be unable to refund bookings made at short notice

At SkyParkSecure, please note that we’re typically unable to provide refunds within a 72 hour notice period before your scheduled arrival, unless you have cancellation cover. See our Terms and Conditions to find out more.

With flight cancellations and delays where the car park or booking agent isn’t able to refund or compensate you, we’d advise that you claim any losses or overlay charges back from the airline which has caused the cancellation or delay. They normally have policies in place which mean you won’t be left out of pocket.

What Should I Do If My Flight Is Delayed or Cancelled?

If your flight gets cancelled all delayed, acting quickly can help you keep on top of things and stop the situation from spiralling. Here’s what you need to consider:

• Check your airline’s travel updates, Flight schedules can change very quickly, so keep an eye on your airline’s app, emails and any text notifications. This can give you more information on the length of the delay, or whether it’s been cancelled entirely.
• Keep a record of delay or cancellation notifications. Take screenshots and save emails and texts from your airline. Evidence of the disruption will be useful if you need to discuss overstay charges, claim on your insurance or seek compensation.
• Contact your airport parking company as soon as possible. Many are experienced in dealing with travel disruption. They may be able to give you guidance, a refund, or an updated booking depending on your booking terms. The sooner you make them aware, the more options they’re likely to have.
• Check whether you have cancellation cover or travel insurance. Flexible booking choices and cancellation protection can give you extra peace of mind when things go wrong. Take a look at your booking terms and conditions to see what cover you have available.
• Keep receipts for any additional expenses. If you have to pay extra parking charges, accommodation costs or other fees because of flight disruption, keep all the documentation you can gather. These might be needed later if you want to claim the money back.
• Don’t assume you’ll automatically be charged. Some airport parking companies offer grace periods or take flight disruption into account with overstay fees. Contacting them or your booking agent is often the best way to avoid surprises.

For more advice on travel challenges, we’ve also covered what happens if an airline collapses, and what to do if you get robbed in a foreign country. After all, it pays to know the best course of action in an unexpected situation that can make or break a holiday.

Main image: Winston Tjia – Unsplash