Rights in the event of a flight cancellation
If a flight is cancelled, under EU law, passengers are entitled to compensation or a refund of the ticket price if the airline is responsible for the flight cancellation. However, exceptional circumstances such as strikes, storms, bird strikes and airspace closures relieve the airlines of their responsibility. In order to make a claim under EU law, the flight must either have taken off or landed in the EU. If the flight is outside the EU, the airline must be based in the EU. In addition, the cancellation must not be older than three years. If these conditions are met, passengers can claim flight cancellation compensation. If a replacement flight or rebooking is not an option, passengers also have the right to a refund of the ticket price. It is important to note that passengers are not obliged to accept vouchers. The reimbursed costs also include not only the price of the flight itself, but also additional expenses for a seat reservation and luggage.
Whether a passenger is entitled to compensation depends on when the airline informs the passenger about the flight cancellation. If the airline notifies passengers of a cancellation less than 14 days before departure, passengers are entitled to compensation under the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation. An earlier departure of more than one hour is also considered a cancellation. The amount of compensation for a canceled flight depends on the flight route. For a short-haul flight of up to 1,500 kilometers, the compensation under the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation is 250 euros per passenger. On a medium-haul flight of up to 3,500 kilometers, it amounts to 400 euros and on a long-haul flight of more than 3,500 kilometers, passengers are entitled to 600 euros.
Rights in the event of long waiting times and delays
In the case of delayed arrivals, the same compensation guidelines apply as for cancellations. If a flight arrives at its destination with a delay of more than three hours, passengers are also entitled to compensation. The amount of compensation is broken down in the same way as the compensation amounts in the event of a flight cancellation.
Passengers also have a number of rights in the event of departure delays. If the departure is delayed by two hours, the airline must offer so-called supply services such as free drinks and snacks and two free telephone calls. If the departure is delayed by more than five hours, travelers can cancel the flight and have their ticket costs reimbursed. If the plane does not take off until the next day, passengers are entitled to a refund of the cost of one night’s hotel accommodation including transfers to and from the airport.
Editorial office finanzen.net
Image sources: Markus Gann / Shutterstock.com, Yaroslav Astakhov / Shutterstock.com