Who is liable when a flight is delayed or canceled?

What if the airline didn’t cause the problem?

A recent court case in England ruled that the airline is still responsible for damages to passengers caused by long delays—even if the plane was delayed by other passengers.

The case was filed by a passenger after her family of four endured a nine-hour delay.

What caused the delay?

Another passenger had accidentally damaged the emergency exit door handle, and the airline had to wait for replacement parts to be flown in to fix the door.

The airline had refused to compensate passengers for the delay, only offering a $7 meal voucher.

The judge ruled the airline was liable because the operational effectiveness of the airplane—as well as the airline’s fleet—was the sole responsibility of the airline, regardless of whether or not the airline caused the problem.

Of course, this ruling has no legal weight in the U.S., but that may not stop a similar case being filed as a result of this ruling, so stay tuned.

For more information about air travel, check out:

• United Airlines Promises Better On Time Performance
• How Airline Mergers Changed Travel Within the U.S.
• Why You Might Have to Pay to Avoid the Middle Seat

Keep reading for more travel tips.