Storm Austen: flights from UK airports could face delays and cancellations on Friday 23 October

Published 22 October 2026 · FlightClaimHQ

Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, is due to hit the UK overnight into Friday 23 October 2026. The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly from 3am to 10am on Friday, with yellow warnings across southern England, Wales and parts of Scotland. No airline had announced cancellations when this article was published, but the Met Office says delays and cancellations to air travel are possible.

What the Met Office has announced

The amber wind warning covers all of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Devon including Plymouth, from 3am to 10am on Friday 23 October. Gusts of 60 to 70mph are expected widely, with around 80mph possible on exposed headlands, Exeter Today and YourWeather reported. The warning was upgraded from yellow to amber on the morning of Wednesday 21 October.

A yellow wind warning runs from midnight to 2pm on Friday across much of southern England, including Hampshire, Southampton, Dorset, Sussex, Kent, Bristol and Somerset, as well as south and west Wales including Cardiff and Swansea, according to the Met Office. A separate yellow rain warning covers parts of Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, from 6am on Friday to 3am on Saturday. LADbible reported that the storm is the first to be named this season.

What it could mean for flights

The Met Office lists delays and cancellations to road, rail, air and ferry services among the likely impacts in the amber area. Airports inside the warning areas include Newquay and Exeter in the amber zone, and Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Bournemouth in the yellow zone. Strong crosswinds can slow take-offs and landings and lead to diversions, and knock-on delays can spread to other routes during the day.

No airline or airport had published a list of cancelled flights at the time of writing. Check your flight status before leaving home on Friday, allow extra time for road and rail journeys to the airport, and make sure your airline has your up-to-date contact details. Conditions are expected to ease gradually through Friday.

Your rights if your flight is disrupted by the storm

If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer a refund or an alternative flight. If you are delayed, it must provide care: meals and refreshments, and a hotel and transfers if you are stuck overnight. Keep your boarding passes and receipts.

Severe weather is usually treated as an extraordinary circumstance, so compensation is generally not due for a flight cancelled or delayed directly because of the storm. It depends on the facts, though: a delay or cancellation caused by something else, such as a technical fault or crew shortage, can still qualify. FlightClaimHQ can check your case and handle the claim for you.

Your rights if your flight is affected

You may be entitled to fixed compensation per passenger if:

your flight arrived at its final destination 3 hours or more late;
your flight was cancelled and you were told less than 14 days before departure;

UK261 (flights departing from the UK, or arriving in the UK with a UK airline): £220, £350 or £520 depending on flight distance.

EU261 (flights departing from the EU, or arriving in the EU with an EU airline): €250, €400 or €600 depending on flight distance.

You cannot claim if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside the airline's control, such as severe weather or air traffic control strikes. The airline must prove it.

Whatever the cause, while you wait the airline must provide care: meals and refreshments, and a hotel room with transfers if you are stuck overnight. Keep receipts for reasonable expenses.

Check my compensation

No win, no fee: 25% of the compensation, VAT included, no other fees, only if we win your claim. FlightClaimHQ is a trading name of TETRIS GROUP LLC.

Frequently asked questions

Are flights cancelled because of Storm Austen?

No airline had announced cancellations at the time of writing. The Met Office warns that air travel could see delays and cancellations, especially in the south west of England on Friday morning.

Can I get compensation if Storm Austen delays my flight?

Usually not when the weather is the direct cause, but you are still entitled to care, and a refund or rerouting if the flight is cancelled. FlightClaimHQ can check your case.

Sources

UK weather warnings (Met Office)
Storm Austen: Amber warning for Devon and Cornwall as flying debris 'could lead to danger to life' (Exeter Today)
Storm Austen: Met Office upgrades severe weather warning to amber as 80mph gusts threaten UK (YourWeather (Meteored))
Storm Austen to hit UK within hours as Met Office issues amber warning over 'danger to life' (LADbible)

This page is general information about UK261 and is not legal advice. Amounts and conditions depend on the facts of your flight.