Flight delays can also be rather costly, especially in Europe where the price of hotels or new last-minute flight bookings is exponentially higher than in other parts of the world.
Whether you are just popping in for a quick holiday, traveling through on a connecting flight or jet setting your way around Europe, having your flight delayed can be devastating to travel plans.
Flight delays can also be rather costly, especially in Europe where the price of hotels or new last-minute flight bookings is exponentially higher than in other parts of the world.
Fortunately, no matter where you are from, Europe has passenger rights laws in place to protect you when your flight is delayed. If you have or are currently experiencing a flight delay more than 2 hours from a European departure, then you are entitled to certain forms of compensation from the airline responsible for the delay.
What are the EU regulations protecting the rights of passengers?
Known as EC Regulation 261/2004, or the more common EU261 flight compensation, the established laws state the following:
“Passengers are entitled to financial compensation for flight delays. Airlines must compensate passengers for flight delays of more than 3 hours at 250€ or 400€ depending on the distance of the journey. If your flight is delayed 5 hours or more, you are entitled to up to 600€ in compensation.”
These regulations determine the specific rules and circumstances that hold the airline accountable for flight delays and detail the exact terms and conditions of compensation.
EU Regulation EC261 applies to all passengers on any worldwide airline departing from anywhere within the EU and arriving into or flying over European airspace. This also includes flights departing from a non-EU airport but originating in Europe, such as Switzerland.
It is important to note that this coverage does not extend to those flying:
- from outside of Europe to somewhere else outside of Europe
- flights originating outside of Europe to Europe
- flights by European airlines that don’t cross into European airspace
Additionally, any delay that is considered an extraordinary circumstance, such as bad weather, terrorist attack, security breach, or any other covered reasons, does not apply and is therefore not protected by this policy.
My flight was delayed in Europe. How do i claim compensation?
If you have determined that you do qualify for compensation for your delayed flight in Europe, then there are a few things you’ll need to know and do to ensure that you are compensated fairly for your delay.
Speak with an airline representative
If you are in the airport, it’s best to go directly to the customer service window for the airline. Every European airline agency knows what eu261 compensation entails, and they will be the best bet for starting a eu261 claim to get compensation for your flight.
Filling out forms & providing documents
If you have already left the airport or some time has passed since your original flight delay, you’ll need to fill out forms detailing the flight number, your name, proof of payment for the ticket, and the reason your flight was delayed. Some carriers offer these forms online and some will need to be sent electronically to be downloaded, printed, filled out, and submitted to the airline. Alternatively, you can fill out forms online by visiting any one of many companies specially designed to assist passengers with claiming flight delay compensation.
It’s also essential to note that you can only get one form of compensation for each delay (i.e., if you were on the same reservation but had a layover and both legs of the flight were delayed, you would have to file two separate claims).
You will also need copies or photos of your ticket and boarding pass, as well as a copy of your passport or ID, which is required to prove that you are the person they claim you are.
When a passenger’s travel plans are disrupted, they may be eligible for lufthansa cancelled flight compensation. This compensation can help with inconveniences and possible costs.
Uploading & processing documents
Once they have all the needed information, a representative will review your documents and claims and let you know what compensation package(s) they will be able to offer you.
It’s important to note that compensation claims must be filed within a certain amount of time. Depending on your departure location and destination, can take up to a year or more to process. But don’t give up! If you feel like you’ve submitted all of your documentation correctly and still haven’t received a claim, then continue to file every 12 months until you are given your compensation.
How is compensation calculated?
When filing for eu261 compensation, the total amount you may be owed will be determined based on the distance traveled and the amount of time spent delayed: the longer the distance and the delay, the more the compensation benefits.
My flight delay was a long time ago. Am i still eligible for compensation?
European regulations dictate that the period to claim flight delay compensation under the EC261 statutes is anywhere from one to six years depending on the EU country the airline is based in. So, as long as you still have all of the documents from the flight, i.e., boarding pass, flight delay confirmation from the airport, and proof of payment for the ticket, you can still claim compensation.
Companies like AirAdvisor can help you process a eu261 claim should you be unable to locate the documents you need or do not speak the native language of the airline you flew with.
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