My flight was cancelled – Can i claim compensation?

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?
EU261/2004 regulation explained.

Recently my easyjet flight was cancelled flying from Bilboa to Gatwick. The situation on the ground was very different from the guidance given by the regulations.  The Airline are meant to notify the passenger in a timely fashion and then offer a choice between:-

• Reimbursement within 7 days of the full cost of the ticket for the part of the journey not made. Also a reimbursement of the cost of a flight already made if that flight is no longer serving a purpose. The airline must, if part way through a journey provide a return flight to the point of departure at the earliest opportunity.
• Re-routing under comparable transport conditions to the final destination.
• Re-routing under comparable transport conditions to your final destination at a later date at passengers convenience.

If the substitute flight is to an alternative airport in the city the Airline must bear the transport costs to the original airport.

When passengers are offered re-routing and accept , if the alternative flight is delayed as detailed below compensation is due:

In addition to the above there is a right to care.

• meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Hotel accommodation where a stay of one night or more become necessary.
• Transport between accommodation and the airport
• 2 free phone calls.

If the Airline advises about a cancellation more than 14 days in advance of the flight date no compensation is due.  If less than 14 days and then below 7 days a sliding scale of compensation is due unless the cancellation is out of the control of the Airline which are known as “extraordinary circumstances” such as poor weather or Air Traffic Control restrictions

If the Airline cannot offer an alternative flight they are obliged to purchase a flight from a different carrier on your behalf.

What to do if your flight is cancelled at short notice.

• Ask why the flight was cancelled – try to get a full explanation not just “operational reasons”
• Retain travel documents
• Retain food and drink expenses
• Retain alternative flight costs and details.
• Request alternative flight to final destination.
• Ask for the Airline to provide a hotel room if an overnight delay.
• Make a note of the arrival time.

What happens in practice at the airport.

• The flight desk will be closed as 100s of passengers will want rerouting or hotel accommodation and usually they cant cope or wish to confront angry passengers.
• The only way to contact the Airline is through customer services telephone line and that will be a long wait.
• Best advice is to use your phone to check for alternative flights and book a flight and claim the difference later.
• Be quick as any spare seats will be going up in price triggered by the other passenger trying to buy a ticket.
• Agree on a later flight with your carrier or buy an alternative flight with another carrier then relax Nothing more can be done today.
• If you need to book a hotel don’t go crazy as alcohol is not claimable.

Remember to book an alternative flight as soon as possible that will allow certainty as to when you will need to be back at the airport.

When you get back hand the claim over to Flightdelaypay.co.uk as it is worth the fee to have expert help and to forget about the hassle.We offer the service of flight travel experts together with the reassurance that this is a legal practice governed by the appropriate authorities.

We operate a No Win No Fee Service – If we win we charge 25% plus £25 per passenger.

Flight Delay Pay is a team of travel and legal professionals with vast knowledge and many years of experience working with European Passenger Rights. We work with airlines and passengers all over the world and take on claims up to 6 years back. If you think your claim fits within the eu261 regulations then claim with us now! Let us take the strain and handle your claim. No win, no fee!

Click Here To Claim Flight Delay Compensation