How do I know if my flight was cancelled/delayed due to “extraordinary circumstances”, as defined in EC 261/2004?

1. What constitutes extraordinary circumstances in flight delays?
2. What counts as extraordinary circumstances?
3. How long does a flight have to be delayed for compensation?
4. What are my entitlements if my flight is Cancelled?
5. Can I claim compensation if my flight was diverted?
6. Is bad weather an extraordinary circumstance?
7. Is a bird strike an extraordinary circumstance?
8. Can I claim flight delay for bad weather?
9. What does operational delay mean?
10. Can I get refund for flight delay?
11. How do I complain about an airline to get the best results?
12. What are my rights if my flight is rescheduled?
13. How do I claim compensation for Cancelled flight?

What constitutes extraordinary circumstances in flight delays?

What are extraordinary circumstances? The EU law on flight compensation uses the term 'extraordinary circumstances' to refer to situations where delays or cancellations have been caused by things that are not the responsibility of the airline. If extraordinary circumstances apply, you are not entitled to compensation.

What counts as extraordinary circumstances?

An 'extraordinary circumstance' is a situation in which there is the airline is not responsible for the problems with the flight. This includes the following situations: Extreme weather conditions during the flight, such as heavy fog or a storm. Natural disasters, such as a volcanic ash cloud.

How long does a flight have to be delayed for compensation?

You're entitled to get compensation if the flight arrives more than 3 hours late and it's the airline's fault - for example, if they didn't get enough bookings or there was a technical fault.

What are my entitlements if my flight is Cancelled?

Cancelled flights

Where your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a choice of: Refund of the cost of your ticket within 7 days or. Re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or. Re-routing at a later date at your convenience, subject to availability of seats.

Can I claim compensation if my flight was diverted?

If your flight was diverted to a different airport then you may be able to claim compensation if you arrived at your final destination more than 3 hours later than planned. However, you will not be entitled to compensation if the diversion/delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances.

Is bad weather an extraordinary circumstance?

Bad weather must be 'freak' or 'wholly exceptional' and considered an extraordinary circumstance for an airline to use it as a defence against paying compensation. This is because weather conditions can be considered an “extraordinary circumstance”, as referred to in Article 5 III of Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

Is a bird strike an extraordinary circumstance?

Effectively, the court has decided that bird strikes are not inherent to the operations of the airlines. Moreover, to prevent them, the airline would have to go out of its way. Now that bird strikes are considered extraordinary circumstances, flight delay compensation does not need to be distributed to air passengers.

Can I claim flight delay for bad weather?

If passengers are unable to fly on time due to severe weather conditions, thick fog or an ash cloud, generally speaking, they are not entitled to compensation. This is because weather conditions are considered as an “extraordinary circumstance”, as referred to in Article 5 III of Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

What does operational delay mean?

Operational delays are delays caused by operational difficulties. It means that crew and/or aircraft are out-of-sync usually caused by late in-bounds, crew illnesses, crew timeouts, etc...

Can I get refund for flight delay?

The DOT says if a flight is canceled for any reason and the traveler chooses not to be rebooked on that airline, the passenger is entitled to a full refund. You may even be entitled to a refund for a flight delay, depending on the circumstances. Accept a refund and rebook when it works for you.

How do I complain about an airline to get the best results?

Send your claim to the airline's customer relations department. You can escalate your complaint if you don't get the result you hoped for.

What are my rights if my flight is rescheduled?

If they choose to change the flight schedule less than two weeks before departure, you could be entitled to compensation for loss of time and extra costs made. This is established in Regulation 261/2004. It is important that you keep the evidence stating the moment you were informed about the changed flight schedule.

How do I claim compensation for Cancelled flight?

If the flight was cancelled within 72 hours of departure, passengers had to call the airline or visit one of the ticketing offices to file the claim. In case the booking was made through a travel portal, passengers had to contact the respective company to process the refund.