EU regulation stipulates airline passengers are entitled to a potential compensation payout of up to €600 for flight delays.
POTSDAM, GERMANY – During the summer holiday period airlines face an increase in filed compensation claims. In the UK 50,000 to 70,000 airline passengers will be entitled to an estimated 24.9 million euros in July and August 2015. Data evaluated by passenger rights service provider refund.me shows an increase of 10 per cent in compensation claims during the holiday period.
Under EU regulation 261/2004 airlines are obligated to compensate customers in the event of flight delays exceeding three hours, cancellations or re-bookings. Compensation ranges from 250 to 600 euros depending on the nature and duration of travel disruption. Roughly one in four hundred flights is affected.
Despite being eligible, of the ten per cent of passengers aware of their rights to compensation only two percent actually lodge a claim. Airlines frequently put up a fight against passengers entitled to compensation pay-outs and as a result only a minority of passengers attempt the refund process, perceiving the process to be too complicated or difficult.
“We regularly see an increase in compensation claims filed against airlines during the summer holiday period,” explains Eve Buchner, founder and CEO of refund.me. “And yet this makes up only a fraction of eligible claims. That’s why I advise travellers to inform themselves about their rights as passengers. We expect British passengers will forgo claiming approximately €24 million in the summer months of 2015.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
