Between strikes and staff shortages, many flights could be cancelled this summer. What rights do passengers have? Do they get their money back? What role does the airline play?
Reimbursement, allowances, additional expenses… we explain it all!
A European regulation governs airline practices. Article 8 of European regulation no. 261/2004 states that if your flight is cancelled by the airline, you are entitled to a refund of your ticket within 7 days by cash, bank transfer, money order or cheque.
The airline may also offer you re-routing on another flight to your final destination. If you refuse this, for whatever reason, you will be reimbursed.
If you are travelling with an airline, or departing from or returning to a European country, you can claim a lump-sum compensation:
- For flights of less than 1,500 km, please allow €250.
- 400 euros for intra-Community flights or flights between 1500 and 3500 km
- 600 euros for other flights over 3500 km
According to European regulations, you can claim compensation if :
- Your flight departs from the European Union (and assimilated countries), to another EU country or on a standard international flight.
- Your flight arrives in a European Union country to another country outside the Union, and is operated by a European airline.
- The flight is delayed by at least 3 hours, is not due to force majeure and has not been announced at least 2 weeks before departure .
What solutions should the airline offer me following the cancellation of my flight?
Airlines are responsible for the transportation of goods and people.
This means, of course, that they must operate the flight booked by the passenger, and respect the timetable originally indicated on the ticket or when the passenger booked the flight.
Among the obligations that the airline is bound to respect in the event of a cancelled flight, you are entitled to :
- or reimbursement of your plane ticket within 7 days
- Either re-routing (one or more replacement flights depending on availability) to your final destination as soon as possible or at a later date at your convenience.
It’s up to the airline to get back to you to refund your ticket. If they don’t, you can contact their customer service department directly.
Please note that this obligation only applies to flights departing from an airport in the European Union, and only if the airline itself is European.
Here is a list of claim forms
Reimbursement of ancillary expenses
The airline must also reimburse you for ancillary expenses of up to 4,500 euros (accommodation, car hire, etc. for the duration of your vacation). You’ll need to declare these, along with all supporting documents, to your airline’s customer service department.
What are the prerequisites?
To assert his rights, the traveller must :
- Have a confirmed reservation for the flight concerned
- Check-in
When am I eligible for compensation for a cancelled flight?
- If your flight is cancelled 14 days before departure, you are not entitled to compensation, regardless of the departure time or the back of the flight.
- If your flight is cancelled between 7 and 14 days before departure, you can claim compensation if the departure time has been brought forward by more than 2 hours OR if the arrival time has been delayed by more than 4 hours. However, you cannot claim compensation if the departure time has not been brought forward by more than 2 hours or if the arrival time has not been delayed by more than 4 hours.
If no replacement flight is offered, this entitles you to compensation and a refund of your ticket.
- If your flight has been cancelled less than 7 days before departure, you can claim compensation if the departure time has been brought forward by more than one hour OR if the arrival time has been delayed by more than 2 hours. However, you cannot claim compensation if the departure time has not been brought forward by more than 2 hours. If no replacement flight is offered, this entitles you to compensation as well as a refund of your ticket.
Which flights are not eligible for compensation?
No compensation is due if the delay is not attributable to the company (political crisis in the country, bad weather, deficiencies affecting flight safety, strikes). In the event of a strike, if it is due to the company’s personnel, the passenger must be compensated in all cases.
For more information about the Air Passenger Form Assistant
