Understanding EU Compensation for Delayed and Canceled Flights
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I’ve never been a big believer in getting to the airport super early before an international flight.
But recently, it happened: I arrived at Frankfurt International Airport two hours early for a flight to Washington, D.C.
I was full of energy and super excited to go to a friend's wedding in the States.
SO IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I SCANNED MY BOARDING PASS AND WAS MET WITH A RED X AT THE AUTOMATED SECURITY TURNSTILE.
After the security agent looked at my boarding pass, she shrugged her shoulders and broke the news:
“Your flight’s been canceled.”
Until that point, I’d always been an incredibly lucky flier.
Flight delays are a fact of life; everybody's flight gets delayed here and there.
BUT HAVING A FLIGHT CANCELED IS A WILD, ANXIETY-INDUCING EXPERIENCE.
I was instantly hit with this feeling that I was sort of stranded, unable to get to my final destination in the originally planned time frame.
My flight cancellation came the day after extreme weather, but my destination wasn’t currently experiencing extreme weather.
Did I have a chance to claim compensation for this cancellation?
The airline agreed to rebook me onto the same itinerary for the following day.
(I just barely made the wedding.)
The entire experience sent me down the rabbit hole of the rules for EU flight compensation, how they work, and who can submit a claim.
So, learn from my own travel fiasco about these quirky regulations that exist for folks traveling to Europe, how you can claim compensation if you have experienced a delayed or canceled flight, as well as a very special service that will actually make the EU flight compensation process a lot easier for you.
It may not be the most fun travel topic, but hey, stuff happens.
Understanding EU Compensation for Delayed and Canceled Flights
What is EU Regulation 261?
Air travel disruptions, like delayed or canceled flights, cause serious inconveniences for travelers.
So in 2004, the European Union established EU Regulation 261, in order to protect air passengers and compensate them when flights don’t go as planned.
There’s nothing worse than scanning the departure board at an airport and finding the dreaded “canceled” status next to your flight.
THE REGULATION OUTLINES AIR PASSENGER RIGHTS AND SETS CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR COMPENSATION IN CASES OF SIGNIFICANT DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS, AND OTHER TRAVEL ISSUES.
EU Regulation 261 applies to the following types of flights:
flights within the EU, or between two EU countries;
flights departing from an EU airport; or
flights arriving in the EU on an EU-based airline.
But simply having a reservation on one of these flights is not enough to claim a delay compensation.
Here are the requirements for passengers to be eligible for those juicy protections:
Passengers with a confirmed booking who checked-in on time, or at least 45 minutes prior to the departure time.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re flying for business or pleasure, and it doesn’t matter how close to the planned departure time your flight was canceled.
It is important to note that traveler protections don’t apply to passengers traveling on free or discounted flights that are not available to the general public - like “non-rev” or “standby” flights available to certain airline employees.
The regulation also doesn’t apply to helicopters (weird?) or flights from Gibraltar Airport (thanks to a long-simmering territorial dispute between Spain and the UK.)
And even though EU regulations only apply to member states of the European Union, EU Regulation 261 also applies to Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland.
Common Myths About EU Flight Compensation
Before going into the details of EU Regulation 261, let’s dispel some common myths.
Some travelers mistakenly believe that airlines will automatically compensate them for delays or cancellations, but that’s not the case.
YOU NEED TO ACTIVELY SEEK COMPENSATION.
Also frustrating: having to watch your aircraft while waiting out a flight delay.
Another common misconception is that all flight delays are eligible for compensation.
Unfortunately, there are extraordinary circumstances that can render a delay or cancellation ineligible, like severe weather or air traffic control strikes.
So let’s get into the fine print to be sure that you can receive those passenger protections.
What Are Your Rights as an Air Passenger?
EU Regulation 261 protects travelers from being stranded by airlines in three distinct ways:
Being denied boarding;
Flight delays; or
Flight cancellations.
WERE YOU DENIED BOARDING DUE TO THE AIRLINE OVERBOOKING A FLIGHT?
Then you’re entitled to compensation, and airlines also must offer you either an alternative flight or a full refund.
And remember, this protection applies to all passengers flying on eligible flights, not only EU citizens.
While any flight cancellation is anxiety inducing, canceled international flights are especially worrisome due to few same-day alternatives.
DID A DELAYED FLIGHT RESULT IN YOU REACHING YOUR FINAL DESTINATION MORE THAN THREE HOURS LATE?
Here, the compensation amount depends on the length of the flight and the delay, with amounts ranging from €250 to €600.
The scheduled departure time and scheduled arrival time are important to determine whether or not a flight qualifies for compensation.
Remember, extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or air traffic control strikes can render a delay or cancellation ineligible for compensation.
But airlines are still responsible for delays caused by technical issues, staff shortages, or other factors within their control.
WAS YOUR FLIGHT JUST ENTIRELY CANCELED?
Here, you have the right to receive a full refund or be rerouted to your destination.
You might be eligible for compensation, too, unless the airline provided at least 14 days’ notice or the cancellation occurred due to extraordinary circumstances.
Understanding Delayed and Canceled Flights
So what constitutes a delayed or canceled flight?
A delayed flight is one that arrives more than three hours after the scheduled arrival time.
The amount of time that a flight is postponed before its scheduled departure time is called a flight delay.
COMPENSATION THRESHOLDS VARY BASED ON THE LENGTH OF FLIGHT DELAY AND THE OVERALL FLIGHT DISTANCE.
Flights less than 1,500 kilometers are entitled to compensation of €250 if the delay exceeds three hours.
Flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers are entitled to compensation of €400 for delays longer than three hours.
Flights over 3,500 kilometers are entitled to compensation of €600 if the delay is more than four hours.
If the delay will result in you missing a connecting flight, and the flights were booked together, on the same ticket, then you might be entitled to compensation for the entire journey.
If you’re facing a flight cancellation, the airline’s efforts to find you an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity plays a big role in whether or not you’re eligible for compensation.
Airlines have to offer you the option to rebook on the next available flight, or offer a refund if the delay exceeds five hours.
BUT AIRLINES HAVE OBLIGATIONS BEYOND JUST FINANCIAL COMPENSATION DURING LONG DELAYS.
If a flight delay extends overnight, the airline must provide accommodation to travelers, as well as transportation to and from the hotel.
Keep in mind though: travelers aren’t eligible for compensation if the delay or cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control, like volcanic eruptions, air traffic controller strikes, or severe storms.
Claiming Compensation for Delayed or Canceled Flights
Filing a compensation claim under EU Regulation 261 is pretty straightforward.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR TRAVEL DISRUPTION.
Here’s an overview of the steps to follow:
1. Collect your travel documents: You’ll need travel documents to prove that you were on the affected flight, like your boarding pass and booking confirmation. Gather them up before beginning the claim.
2. Do the math on your delay or cancellation: Note the actual arrival time, scheduled departure time, and the reason provided by the airline for the disruption.
3. Submit a claim: You can file your compensation claim directly with the airline. Most airlines have an online form on their websites. You’ll need to provide details about the flight and the disruption.
4. Keep communication records: Maintain records of all correspondence with the airline, including emails and written communication.
Personally, the thought of reporting the violation of my passenger rights to the airline itself seems strange.
While some airlines make it easy to submit an EU Regulation 261 claim via their website, others, (cough, United Airlines 😩) make it difficult and not user-friendly.
If you are able to submit a claim via your airline’s website, the standard expectation is that they should process your claim within a few weeks.
If your claim is rejected, you would have to explore other options, like alternative dispute resolution or going through the EU’s small claims process, a.k.a. pursuing legal action.
TO ME, ALL OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES SOUND LIKE HUGE HEADACHES FOR WHAT MIGHT BE AS LITTLE AS €250.
Luckily, there’s a better way.
Use a Dedicated EU Flight Compensation Claims Manager
Want to avoid the stress of filling out paperwork and going back and forth with an airline in order to receive compensation?
CONSIDER USING A CLAIMS MANAGER SPECIALIZED IN FLIGHT COMPENSATION.
AirHelp is such a service.
They take care of submitting your case to the airline, negotiating with them for compensation, even escalating the case if the airline at first denies the claim.
Of course, AirHelp will take a service fee of 35% of any fee they eventually collect, plus an additional 15% fee if they have to get their lawyers involved for denied claims 😳.
But I consider this a reasonable amount to pay for a process that is stressful, anxiety-inducing, and an overall reminder of being stranded or delayed by an airline!
Have an EU Flight Compensation Claim?
LET AIRHELP HANDLE IT
✅ CONFIRM // Their experienced team will verify your documents, find flight reports, check weather conditions, and more to confirm your compensation.
📝 PAPERWORK // AirHelp puts together a solid case for compensation and delivers it to your airline.
🤝 NEGOTIATION // AirHelp will keep you updated during the up to 3 months is can take to get a decision
⚡ ESCALATION // If the airline rejects or ignores the claim, AirHelp will involve specialist lawyers to take stronger action.
💸 PAYMENT // Once the airline pays, AirHelp requests your payment details and transfers your money directly to you.
Another Way to Protect Yourself from Delays and Cancellations
Even though EU Regulation 261 provides protection for passengers, it’s also worth considering travel insurance.
A LOT OF TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES OFFER COVERAGE FOR FLIGHT DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE STANDARD COMPENSATION OFFERED BY AIRLINES.
Plus, if an airline refuses to pay compensation, travel insurance can step in to cover additional costs, such as accommodation, meals, and missed connections.
Waiting out a delay can be a little easier if you have airport lounge access, but it doesn’t change the fact that your travel plans will be impacted.
Final Thoughts
While flight delays are a fact of modern air travel, excessively long delays or outright flight cancellations can totally derail a vacation before it even gets started.
Understanding the protections that EU Regulation 261 provides to travelers throughout Europe is really important.
Be sure to keep copies of your boarding pass (take a screenshot if you’re using a digital boarding pass in your phone’s wallet) as well as the eTicket email the airline sends you at the time of booking.
IT’S ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE NOTES OF WHAT YOU’RE BEING TOLD BY THE AIRLINE REPRESENTATIVES AS THE DELAY IS UNFOLDING.
The notes app on your phone is good for this, and those notes can really be useful when you’re attempting to put together a flight compensation claim.
If you’re delayed overnight, be sure to ask for proper accommodations, as well as transportation to and from the airport to said accommodations.
More than anything else, though, keep in mind that airline travel disruptions are a reality that countless travelers face everyday.
While it might not help a lot in the moment, try to remember this fact of life.
A little bit of perspective can help you to keep calm during stressful situations; view airport disruptions as momentary hiccups, and focus instead on the fabulous vacation awaiting you on the other side.
That’s all for now,
xx,
Angela
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