If you've had your flight either severely delayed or even cancelled due to the snow then here's a guide to what you may or may not be covered for in terms of refunds and compensation.

Cancellations

Flight Cost Refunds
In the worst case scenario, if your flight was cancelled then the airline should allow you to rebook your trip on a later flight, on another day. Or, if you cannot take a later flight then airlines should allow passengers to get a refund.

Refund Time Scales
In terms of actually receiving the money for your refund, well that is different per airline. BA for example is currently saying they will try and reimburse refunded tickets as soon as they can but have not stipulated any time line. Ryanair have said around five days.

Transportation Cost Refunds
If you have arrived at the airport only to find your flight is cancelled and you incur costs to get home again these costs will not be refunded.
It maybe that if you have adequate travel insurance any transportation costs will be refunded via your insurance policy so it's worth asking as soon as you get home. If these costs are reimbursed then it is highly likely that you will need to have valid receipts or proof of travel so hold on to these. However, if you have a low grade travel insurance policy it's unlikely that transportation costs will be covered.

Inconvenience Compensation
Do be aware though, however much you have been inconvenienced and however awful it was being stuck at the airport as a result of your flight being cancelled you will not get compensation for inconvenience. Airlines simply do not, never have done and never will compensate for this so don't waste your time or energy on even trying!

Delays

Flight Cost Refunds
If your flight has been delayed by such an amount of time that you consider it pointless going, a short city break for example, and you have booked your flight and accommodation independently i.e. not through a tour operator, then the airline should refund you the cost of the flight ticket only.

Hotel Cost Refunds
However, any other such costs associated with your trip will not be, for example hotel costs and car hire – this is something that the airline won't budge on either, however hard you try to get refunds or reimbursement – the EU regulations clearly state the airline is not duty bound to compensate the traveller other than the flight. In this instance, check with your travel insurance policy under its ‘cancellation and curtailment' section.

Package Holiday Cost Refunds
If you've booked your trip through an ABTA or ATOL tour operator, as a complete package, then you will have the entire trip compensated, or you will be offered a rebooking, whichever you prefer. This is the same whether your flight has been severely delayed or cancelled.

Citizens Advice
If you are having a lot of trouble getting applicable costs reimbursed from your airline or tour operator then it is worth contacting the Citizen's Advice Bureau for help and advice. However, do be aware that claims may not be settled between you and the airline as quickly as usual. Hundreds and thousands of passengers were affected by the snow so an airline's Customer Services Department is going to be extremely busy!