Travelling is generally quite a tedious experience. Whether it’s waiting for a bus, sitting eight hours on a train, or sleeping in an airport as you wait for your connecting flight, the physical act of travelling tends not to be quite glamorous as films would make it out to be.
Delays, cancellations and being denied boarding adds a whole new level of intensity to this. Suddenly the flight you were waiting for is delayed by three hours and you miss your connecting flight. The airline in question offers you an £8 voucher for some Burger King while you wait in the terminal for the airline to rectify its errors, unsure when you’re going to reach your destination and how long you’ll have to wait. If you’ve ever been in this situation, you’re not alone, but you’re not helpless either.
As an air passenger, you have the law on your side, meaning that, under the right circumstances, airlines are either obliged to help you in whatever way they can, or compensate you to rectify the inconvenience or cascading problems that may have occurred by them causing you to miss your flight.
Know your rights
As someone using the services of an airline, you’re protected because of your air passenger rights. This means that in the event of a severe delay or flight cancellation that was the fault of the airline in question, you’re entitled to a number of different compensations.
At the very least this includes a free meal and drink on the airline’s bill; if the delay means that you have to stay overnight, the airline also has to put you up in a hotel. The airline may also offer you an alternative flight to help you reach your destination on time, or they will provide you with compensation of up to £700 if the delay or cancellation was severe enough.
There are a number of companies out there who can also help you secure this compensation if the airline refuses to cooperate with you for whatever reason.
Familiarise yourself with the law
Different airlines operate within the boundaries of different laws in different countries. It’s prudent to familiarize yourself with these different laws so that, in the event of a sudden cancellation or delay, you’re aware of where you stand within the confines of these laws, and how they can benefit you.
Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004 in the EU, for example, ensures that as a passenger you can receive compensation in the event that the airline has breached their contract and cannot get you to your destination on time.
You have the Court of Justice of the European Union on your side, which has ensured that it’s almost impossible airlines to evade their obligations if they have caused a flight or cancellation.
Hang on to all your documents
Once you’ve reached your destination, regardless of how long the delay was and how long it took you to get there, it’s vital that you hold on to all of your documents until your dispute is settled. Airlines may reject your claim if you’re not able to provide proof of your travels in the form of boarding passes and other documents.
Likewise, hold on to the receipts of every expense that you occurred along the way, so that you can prevent these to the airline and get refunded for those too.
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