Flight cancellation

Flight cancellation compensation

If your flight is cancelled it does not mean that you, by default, are entitled to any compensation. The right to compensation or not is determined by the time you receive a notification about the re-scheduled time of departure and how much it deviates from the original itinerary. If the flight is postponed, it shall be considered as a cancelled flight and entitles you to compensation in accordance with the EU Regulation.

If the flight is cancelled, the operating air carrier has an obligation to inform you of this as soon as possible. If you were notified 14 days or more before the flight was due to depart, you must be offered the choice of either reimbursement of relevant part of the ticket or re-routing to the final destination on an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity.

Due to the regulation, you are not entitled to financial compensation for a cancelled flight if you have been notified about the flight disruption 14 days or more prior to the scheduled time of departure. However, you may be eligible for compensation in the following cases:

• When the operating air carrier has notified you about the change 7-13 days prior to the scheduled time of departure, and the re-scheduled departure is more than 2 hours before the original departure time and the re-scheduled arrival is more than 4 hours after the original arrival time.
• When the operating air carrier has notified you about the change less than 7 days prior to the scheduled time of departure, and the re-scheduled departure is more than 1 hour before the original departure time and the re-scheduled arrival is more than 2 hours after the original arrival time.

Flight cancellation compensations is also based on the distance of the flight. This is what you are entitled to:

• Flights up to 1 500 km – EUR 250
• Flights of more than 1 500 km in the EU and 1 500 – 3 500 km for flights outside of the EU and covered by the regulations – EUR 400
• Flights over 3 500 km outside of the EU and covered by the regulations – EUR 600

However, if the departure is cancelled and the operating air carrier offers the passenger re-routing on an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity, the level of compensation will be reduced by half if the flight arrives at the final destination:

• Less than 2 hours after the scheduled time of arrival for flights up to 1 500 km – EUR 125
• Less than 3 hours after the scheduled time of arrival for flights of more than 1 500 km in the EU and 1 500 - 3 500 km for flights outside of the EU and covered by the regulations – EUR 200
• Less than 4 hours after the scheduled time of arrival for flights over 3 500 km outside of the EU and covered by the regulations – EUR 300

Checklist if your flight is cancelled:

• Ask the operating air carrier to confirm the incident and reason for the cancellation.
• Find out your rights at the airport. Among other things, the operating air carrier is obligated to offer you meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time. Free of charge, you have the right to make two phone calls, send an e-mail or fax message. You also have the right to a hotel accommodation and transfer back and forth to the airport and the place of accommodation if the incident with your flight so requires.
• Do not sign a waiver or accept any offer, for example value checks for future trips or other benefits, which may affect your right to compensation.
• Gather the necessary information, such as boarding passes, other travel documents, receipts for your expenses, vouchers etcetera. Just make sure to save the originals of all relevant documents!
• Make sure to note the arrival time to the final destination, that is to say when at least one of the aircrafts doors opens and the passengers are permitted to disembark.
• Submit your claim as soon as possible within reasonable time, and by no later than the limitation period admits.
• Keep in mind that each passenger is entitled to compensation. If you have travelled with family or friends, you can list your fellow passengers contact information in the application form when claiming your rights. We will then contact each of them.
• You also have the right to receive compensation if your flight is cancelled in connection with a business trip. No matter who paid for the ticket, the person entitled to compensation is the person whose name is on the ticket and the one who has suffered the trouble and inconvenience caused by the incident with the flight.