To ask for travel advice

[mouche202]

We were due to travel long haul last night. Flight was cancelled at 11pm and due to snow, 10 year old and I had to spend the night in the freezing airport (alongside many others). The airline (Emirates) did not offer hotels, transportation, or anything at all really.

They have rebooked is onto a flight tonight which I have already checked in for online. However, my son has woken feeling headachy and has vomited twice, the second time when I tried to give him warm water and Calpol.

I don't know what to do. Can I rebook the flight if I have already checked in? Can I cancel? Should I? I also have travel insurance but something like this has never happened to me before so I don't really know what the process is. Would really appreciate thoughts.

I'd call your insurance company now and discuss it with them. They will tell you what you need to do. Personally, I wouldn't travel long haul with a vomiting child. Good luck OP, it sounds very stressful.

I really don't think this is true. You should call them and speak to them about it.

I guess it depends upon your insurance company then which is why it's worth speaking to them. When we had a similar situation, I spoke to the airline who said they would refuse boarding of child was being sick. That was enough for our insurance company.

I'd speak to Emirates first, perhaps they will let you rebook if they're feeling generous.

Then I'd speak to insurance co and see what they recommend.

I wouldn't travel with a pukey child if I could avoid it. Unpleasant for everyone and really not fair on your fellow passengers.

Thank you for the advice. He was sick once when he woke up (at 1pm - we only managed to get home at 7 and went straight to bed) and again when I tried to get some fluids and food and Calpol into him. He's sleeping again now. Will reassess closer to when we need to leave.

The airline (Emirates) did not offer hotels, transportation, or anything at all really.

Make sure you are getting what you are entitled to in terms of air passengers' rights. You may be due something you should have received for the night, and you may also be due additonal comp even though your flight was rescheduled. You may also be due a full refund if you prefer that to a rebooking. It's worth checking.

The UK gave up EU air passenger's rights in January 2021, BUT Regulation UK261 works as legacy legislation so that UK-originating flights are still explicitly protected under the Montreal Convention. EU rights, which are a bit easier to pursue as more established, do still apply if your immediate destination (for the leg of the flight that was cancelled/delayed) is in the EU (or if you're flying on an EU-domiciled airline, which is not the case here).

Ask the airline (in person, before you leave the airport) for a written statement of your passenger rights specific to the delayed/cancelled flight. They should have these available to hand out in printed form and/or electronically.

Belated thanks to all who replied. We made it to our destination in the end despite the rescheduled flight having a 4 hour delay. DS was not sick again though ate little and slept a lot on the flight. I came down with a dreadful viral thing on arrival which has kept me in bed till today. Tomorrow we will hopefully properly begin our vacation - only a week late 😐