Travel limitations and restrictions caused by the pandemic have caused the cancellation of thousands of flights and significant delays in many others. These kinds of incidents tend to greatly affect the travel experience, so it is important to know our rights as passengers to know how to make the corresponding claims if necessary.
There is an established protocol to claim a canceled flight in accordance with the regulation 261/2004 of the EU and by the Montreal Convention. Depending on the conditions in which the cancellation of the flight occurs, it is possible to request financial compensation that is based on the distance of the flight.
In addition, if you consider that rescheduling the flight date makes the trip no longer make sense, damaging specific plans such as weddings, work meetings or job interviews, it is possible to request a full refund of the cost of the flight.
What to do in case of a canceled flight?
First of all, it is necessary to know all the rules and assumptions that apply in the regulation 261/2004 of the EU and the Montreal Convention. The airlines are obliged to provide this information at the precise moment of booking the tickets and also display it at the check-in counters so that the traveler is clear about their rights.
For canceled flights, it is possible to claim compensation of up to 250 euros for canceled flights covering a distance of between 1 and 1,500 kilometers. In the case of flights with distances between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers, the compensation would be from 400 euros. Finally, you get to the 600 euros for flights on routes greater than 3,500 kilometers.
Now, how to act in case the airline cancels our flight? The first thing we must do is keep all kinds of documentation that documents the existence of the flight and its cancellation, and then get down to work with the claim, which can be done on our own or using a company specialized in this class. management.
The steps to follow will be the following:
- File a formal claim with the airline, for which it will be necessary to use the EU air passenger rights claim form.
- In case of not receiving any answer, it is possible to continue the claim before the national administration of the country where the flight was canceled.
- If both the airline and the national administration decide to ignore the case, it is possible to initiate an out-of-court procedure, presenting the claim to an alternative dispute resolution entity.
- When the flight cancellation occurs within a country of the European Union, it is possible to use the so-called European small claims process.
- Finally, if you want to save time and procedures, it is possible to leave the case in the hands of a company specialized in claiming rights that, for a compensation commission, will handle the entire case with a very high success rate due to its experience. and knowledge of regulations.