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What are the EU Flight Compensation Rules?

Authors
  • avatar
    Name
    Jonathan Chum
    Twitter
    @jchum

Flying is one of the most important industries in the world. It connects businessmen and passengers with cities dotted all across the globe. On the other hand, flying can also be a hectic experience. For example, if you have flown through an airport recently, you understand that there is a significant chance of your flight getting delayed or canceled. Even though this can be frustrating, you may be entitled to compensation. That is where the EU flight compensation rules come into play. In this post, we are going to cover:

  • When you are entitled to compensation through these rules
  • Then these rules state you are not entitled to any compensation
  • How much do you may get

We have flown all over the world, including the European Union. Even though most of our flights proceed as planned, there are also situations where we experienced problems. Fortunately, there could be opportunities for recourse.

When Are You Entitled To Compensation?

First, it is important to understand when you could be entitled to compensation. If your flight in or out of the EU was delayed due to the airline's fault, you could be entitled to compensation. This delay has to be greater than 3 hours. For example, even if the airline has made a mistake and your flight is delayed by one hour, you are not necessarily entitled to anything.

At the same time, what qualifies as a delay due to the fault of the airline? Some of the most common examples include:

  • There is a technical issue with the airplane. For example, the control systems could be off, the landing gear could be faulty, or there are other technical issues that make it unsafe to fly. The airline should have done a better job taking care of its technology.
  • There could also be issues related to airplane rotation. For example, an airplane could be late arriving from its prior destination. In this case, the next flight could be delayed. This is a delay due to the airline's fault. Passengers could be entitled to compensation.
  • There could be operational issues as well. This has to do with the way the flight is planned. This typically relates to route planning, as the airline should have done a better job planning its flight paths.

If you have a flight in or out of the European Union that has experienced issues due to the fault of the airline, you could be entitled to some point of condensation under the current rules.

When Are You Not Entitled To Compensation?

On the other hand, there are situations where you may not be entitled to anything. For example, if your flight was delayed, but it does not get delayed by 3 hours or more, you are not necessarily entitled to anything. Furthermore, if your flight is canceled greater than 14 days before its scheduled departure date, you are also not going to be entitled to anything. Some other situations where you are not entitled to compensation include:

  • Anything having to do with the weather. Your plane has to be safe to fly. This includes the weather. On the other hand, the airline is not responsible for the weather conditions outside. If something related to the weather causes your flight to be delayed, you are not entitled to anything.
  • If the employees of the airline go on strike, you are also not entitled to compensation if this has an impact on your flight. This is not considered to be the fault of the airline. As a result, compensation rules do not apply.
  • If there is a flaw related to the manufacturing of the airplane, this is also not the fault of the airline. As a result, you will not be awarded any compensation.

Finally, your carrier has to be registered in the European Union in order for you to qualify for compensation. If you are flying on an airline that is not registered in the European Union, then you are not going to be entitled to any compensation.

How Much Could You Get?

So, if you are entitled to compensation under these rules, how much are you going to get? The answer is that it depends. There are a number of factors that play a role. The most important factor is how long your flight is. This is determined by distance. The farther your flight was supposed to go, the more money you are going to receive. In general, you should expect to receive a few hundred Euros. On the other hand, this is also something that is usually negotiated by a professional.

In order for you to apply for compensation under these rules, there are several steps you have to go through. As a result, this can be time-consuming. If you would like someone else to do this for you, you may be able to reach out to a professional website or even a lawyer who understands how to help you apply for the compensation you deserve.

Know Your Rights Under the EU Flight Compensation Rules

When you fly, problems can happen from time to time. In some situations, these problems may delay your flight by a few minutes. In other situations, this could delay your flight by several hours, or cancel your plane altogether. You may not think you have many options available; however, if you are flying in or out of the European Union, you may be able to apply for compensation under the current EU flight compensation rules.

In general, you are going to be entitled to compensation if you are delay was the fault of the airline. The farther your plane was going to go, the more compensation you could receive. There are several hoops that you have to jump through in order to apply for flight compensation under these rules. Even though you may be able to do this yourself, you may find that it is easier to enlist the help of a trained professional who can do this on your behalf.