Compensation
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Flight cancellation

The cancellation of a flght by the airline creates a passenger's right for compensation, with some exceptions. The compensation ranges between 125 and 600 Euros. It depends on the distance between the airports of departure and arrival. The passenger is not entitled to compensation, if the airline gave a timely notice 14 days, or earlier, before the scheduled time of departure or if the cancellation was caused by an extraordinary circumstance or if the airport of departure is in a non-EU country and the airline is not an EU carrier.

 

What flights are covered by EC 261/2004?

EC 261/2004 covers all flights within the EU airspace. It also includes Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the outermost regions - i.e. French Guiana and Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe and La Reunion, Saint-Martin, Madeira and the Azores, and the Canary Islands.

 

The regulation also covers all flights departing from an EU airport, and all flights departing out of the EU but having an EU destination which are operated by an EU air carrier.

 

Here is a simple chart to summarize:

 

 Itinerary 

 EU carrier

 Non-EU carrier 

 From EU to EU

 Covered

 Covered

 From EU to non-EU

 Covered

 Covered

 From non-EU to EU

 Covered

 Not covered

 From non-EU to non-EU 

 Not covered 

 Not covered

 

If you want to find out whether your flight is eligible for compensation you may use AirLawyer’s Compensation Check platform.

Are all cancellations covered?

Flight cancellations that occurred due to extraordinary circumstances are not covered.

 

Airlines avoid liability in case of “extraordinary circumstances”, like general strikes, serious weather conditions, technical problems at the airport, Air Traffic Control restrictions, political unrest etc.

 

Internal strikes by airline staff of the air carrier are not considered as “extraordinary circumstrances”. In these cases airlines should compensate their passengers according to EC 261/2004.

 

If the airline notified you at least two weeks in advance you are not entitled to compensation.

 

You are not eligible for compensation if the airline notified at least two weeks before the scheduled time of departure.

 

Even if they notified you less than two weeks before the scheduled departure, you are still not eligible for compensation, if they provided re-routing with an alternate flight that meets the following criteria:

 

Advance   notice Re-routing requirements
Less than   7   days Re-routing departing no more than 1 hour before and arriving   less   than 2 hours after the original flight
Between 7   and  13 days Re-routing departing no more than 2 hours before and arriving   less   than 4 hours after the original flight
14 days or   more None

What if my flight was rescheduled to a different time of departure?

In this case your flight is also considered to be cancelled. The same rules that apply to cancellation also apply to rescheduling. The rescheduled flight is considered to be re-routed, as described in the previous question.

How much compensation am I entitled to for flight cancellation?

The established amounts of compensation based on EC 261/2004 range between 125 and 600 Euros based on the distance between your point of departure and arrival and the length of the delay of arrival at your final destination.

You may find the amounts you can claim in the table below:

 

 Delay at final   destination

 -2h 

 2-3h

 3-4h

 +4h

 Never   arrived 

 Distance

 

 €125 

 €250 

 €250 

 €250 

 €250

 All flights 1,500km or less

 

 €200

 €200

 €400

 €400

 €400

 Flights within EU over   1,500km

 

 €200

 €200

 €400

 €400

 €400

 Non-internal EU flights   between   1,500km and   3,500km

 

 €300

 €300

 €300

 €600

 €600

 Non-internal EU flights   over  3,500km

What happens if I had a connecting flight?

If you had a single booking for all your flights (same booking reference), your compensation will be calculated based on the total distance between your initial place of departure and final destination, regardless of your intermediate stops.

My flight is cancelled. What should I do?

If your flight is cancelled and you are still at the airport follow the steps below:

  • Hold tickets and boarding passes related to the disrupted flight and to any other alternative flights offered.
  • Ask the ground crew why the flight is cancelled.
  • Keep a note of the actual arrival time at your final destination, if you were re-routed. Remember that arrival time is when the airplane opens its door for disembarkation, and not when the airplane lands or parks at the gate. If you can collect some proof, like photos of the departure board or any communication with the airline confirming the disruption.
  • Ask the airline to cover your meals and refreshments.
  • Keep all receipts from costs that occurred due to the cancellation (including hotel bookings, rent car bookings, taxis, meals etc).
  • Be careful with what you sign – do not sign anything or accept offers that may waive your rights (for example vouchers for future flights).

How long after the flight cancellation can I claim my compensation?

Your claim is time limited according to the law of your country, provided that either the place of departure or the place of destination is situated in that country. Otherwise, your claim will be time limited according to the law of the country where the carrier has its headquarters.

 

 Country  Limitation period
 Austria  3 years
 Belgium  1 year
 Bulgaria  3 years
 Croatia  3 years
 Cyprus  6 years
 Czech Republic  3 years
 Denmark  3 years
 Estonia  3 years
 Finland  3 years
 France  5 years
 Germany  3 years
 Greece  20 years
 Hungary  5 years
 Iceland  2 years
 Ireland  6 years
 Italy  26 months
 Latvia  2 years
 Lithuania  3 years
 Luxembourg  10 years
 Malta  No limit
 Netherlands  2 years
 Norway  3 years
 Poland  1 year
 Portugal  3 years
 Romania  3 years
 Slovakia  2 years
 Slovenia  2 years
 Spain  5 years
 Sweden  3 years
 Switzerland  2 years
 United Kingdom  6 years

Are there any other rights that come with EC 261/2004?

Right to reimbursement or re-routing

 

The airline should offer you either:

  1. A full refund of the part of the journey not made and a return flight to your first point of departure at the earliest opportunity, or
  2. Re-routing to your final destination at your convenience.

 

Right to care

 

The airline should provide you with meals and refreshments during your delay, as well as access to communication, including two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, and emails. If overnight stay is needed, the airline should provide accommodation at a hotel and transportation to and from the airport.

 

Upgrading and downgrading

 

If the carrier offers you re-routing and places you in a class higher than that for which the ticket was purchased, it should not request any supplementary payment.

 

If you are placed in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, the carrier shall, within 7 days, reimburse:

 

(a) 30 % of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1,500 km or less, or

(b) 50 % of the price of the ticket for all intra-Community flights of more than 1,500 km and for all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, or

(c) 75 % of the price of the ticket for all flights not falling under (a) or (b).

 

Right to further compensation

 

Further to the compensation provided by EC 261/2004, you can also claim additional compensation for damages that occurred due to the flight cancellation, such as the cost of your alternative travel by any means (including air, boat, train, bus, car rental etc.), the cost of overnight hotel accommodation or the cost of missed paid events (such as conferences, pre-booked hotel accommodation or car rental, etc.). In order to claim the above the above damages you should be able to provide evidence of the costs, such as invoices, receipts, bank account payments etc.

 

In case of an illegal act or omission of the carrier, you can also claim moral damage for your physical and mental suffering, in certain jurisdictions.

 

Right to be informed

 

Every airline should inform its passengers about their rights under EC 261/2004. Specifically:

 

  • The carrier shall provide you with a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance in line with EC 261/2004. The contact details of the Civil Aviation Authority shall also be given to you in written form.
  • If you are a blind or a visually impaired person, the carrier shall use appropriate alternative means to notify you of your rights.

Where can I read the EC 261/2004 regarding flight cancellations?

You may read the text of Regulation EC 261/2004 here.

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