Flight passenger compensation

When travelling by air for business or pleasure, EU law provides that you have certain rights regarding information, delays, cancellations, overbooking and damage to your luggage. Many of the rules apply even if there are extraordinary circumstances which caused the flight disruption. The rights apply to scheduled domestic flights within the EU and to charter flights leaving or arriving at an EU airport. For flights arriving from outside the EU, these rights apply only to EU airlines. If you check in on time for a flight and there is a significant delay, i.e. in excess of two hours, the airline must provide you with meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation, if necessary, and communication facilities. The airline is also obliged to provide you with a written statement about your rights as a passenger. If the delay exceeds five hours, the airline should offer to refund your ticket, but only if you decided not to take the delayed flight. There is no financial compensation for delays.

If your flight is cancelled due to reasons within the airline's control, the airline should provide you with either a refund of your ticket or alternative transport to your final destination. Under certain circumstances, and if the cancellation is not as a result of a force majeure incident, the airline is obliged to pay you financial compensation of between €250 and €600 depending on the length of the delay and distance of your flight. The airline is also obliged to provide you with meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation, if necessary, communication facilities to enable you to telephone or e-mail and a written statement about your rights as a passenger.

If there are too many passengers booked for the seats available, the airline has to seek volunteers willing to give up their seats. It is only then that the airline can decide not to take certain passengers on board. It is then obliged to offer you financial compensation of between €250 and €600 depending on the distance of your flight and the delay before you obtain an alternative flight. You are also entitled to meals and refreshments and hotel accommodation, if necessary. In addition, you should be provided with communication facilities and a written statement about your rights as a passenger.

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