The EU regulation on flights was passed in 2004 to protect the rights of air passengers against severe flight disruptions. This includes flight delays and cancellations, missed connecting flights, and denied boarding.
What Should You Know About the EU Regulation?
The EU regulation 261/2004 is also known as the flight compensation regulation. It would help if you didn’t have to get the shorter end of the stick for an inconvenience caused by the airline. Should your flight be disrupted at any point, you are within every right to get compensated under this law.
To know if you’re eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Your flight is taking off from an EU member state.
- Your flight is landing in an EU member state and the airline is headquartered in the EU.
- You checked in at least 45 minutes before departure time.
- You were not notified of the possible disruption at least two weeks before departure.
- You did not willingly step down and refuse to board the flight.
- The reason for the flight disruption was within the airline’s control.
Following the EC 261 law, you may be entitled to the following if your flight is delayed or you’re denied boarding:
- Compensation of between €250 and €600 is calculated by the flight distance. While a short-distance flight would attract €250, a medium-distance flight would attract €400, and a long-distance flight, €600.
- Access to complimentary food and drinks for a delay of over two hours. This should be immediately provided if you were denied boarding.
- Access to a free internet connection.
- Access to a free hotel booking for flight delays that last the night.
- For a delay of over 5 hours, you can reschedule your flight at no cost to you or get a refund.
- The right to be informed of your rights under the law.
What Next Steps Should You Take?
Now that you know the flight compensation regulation, the next step is to confirm your eligibility using the criteria above. You can also make use of a calculator to know how much you may be entitled to.
The next step is to determine the cause of the disruption and have the airline write it. Include that with other relevant documents such as your ticket and booking confirmation, vouchers, receipts, and any other document that can come in handy.
Contact the airline via their email address, making your claim based on the EC 261 regulation. Some airlines have the compensation form on their website, so you can check first and fill out the form if available.
It is also important to note that this process isn’t always a walk in the park and at the same time, not impossible. Many air passengers have been compensated over the years and you can be next. You could hire an attorney or make use of established firms like Flightright to make the process easier.
Bottom Line
For every inconvenience you face due to the incompetence of an airline, you deserve some form of compensation. This article can guide you if you ever have to deal with a delayed flight or denied boarding.