What to do if your charter flight is delayed. Flight delay: who is to blame? If you miss a connecting flight

A representative of the AirHelp service, which helps obtain compensation for lost time at the airport, told The Village how passengers can fight for their rights.

According to statistics from our service, since 2013 in Russia, 316,112 passengers have been affected by delayed or canceled flights. Each of them can receive compensation of up to 600 euros. But 1% of them take advantage of this opportunity.
In most cases, air carriers do not inform passengers of their rights in the event of problems with their flight.
And passengers do not have the experience and time to seek compensation for troubles along the way. Here's what's important to know in case of problems with departure.

What can the airline offer?

Passengers should be aware of the reasons and timing of flight delays. You can try to get this information at the airline counter or on the website.

If you are at the airport and the flight is canceled due to the fault of the airline, then the options are as follows:

Alternative flight at the earliest opportunity;

Rebooking for another convenient date;

Refund of ticket price within a week.

For these options, you must contact the airline counter. If you don't find one, call the carrier's office. In this case, you do not have to pay anything. All costs are borne by the carrier whose ticket you purchased.

What you must provide
in an Aeroport?

According to Russian law, if your flight is delayed by two hours, you must be provided with drinks and cold snacks, and the opportunity to make two phone calls or send two emails. Children and their accompanying persons must be provided with a mother and child room.

After a four-hour flight delay, hot meals must be provided. In Europe, in this case, vouchers are issued to visit a catering outlet. In Russia, they most often do the same: they issue food vouchers to one of the airport restaurants or cafes.

After eight hours of waiting during the day or six hours of waiting at night, a hotel must be provided. Passengers are transported free of charge to their accommodation and back to the airport. In this case, the carrier must take care of your luggage and organize its storage.

Where to sleep?

The law does not allow unauthorized passengers to share the same room. If the accommodation conditions do not suit you, rent a hotel yourself, while keeping receipts for compensation.

Of course, you shouldn’t relax - you shouldn’t count on a refund for a premium room and dinner with expensive wine and seafood. It is best to choose the hotel closest to the airport and eat at an inexpensive restaurant nearby. The court immediately satisfies such expenses.

What compensation should I expect?

The amount of compensation for flight delays depends on what legislation the flight falls under. Thus, Aeroflot flights Moscow - Berlin and Berlin - Moscow will be considered from different points of view.

Europe

Substantial compensation of up to 600 euros is due if the flight is subject to EU regulation 261/2004. This document applies to flights within the European Union, departures from EU airports and from Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, as well as flights of European carriers arriving at EU airports. If a European airline flies from America or Asia to Europe, then this is also assessed under European law.

Compensation can be claimed for a flight delay of three hours, denial of boarding, delay or cancellation of flight for technical reasons, due to the fault of the airline. The statute of limitations for a claim for reimbursement ranges from three to six years, depending on the laws of the countries under which the air carrier falls. Compensation is not provided in cases of terrorist attacks, strikes and bad weather. But there are also exceptions. For example, in 2016, Air France accepted claims for compensation for a strike by its employees. The amount of compensation ranged from 250 to 600 euros. The total amount always depends on the flight distance, the reason for the flight cancellation and the duration of the delay.

Russia

If you have problems with a domestic flight or a Russian airline has delayed your flight abroad, the amount of compensation will be insignificant. The passenger is required to pay a penalty of 25% of the minimum wage per hour of delay, but not more than 50% of the transportation fee. Now it’s 25 rubles for every hour of waiting.

Compensation is not provided by law for flight cancellations and delays. American carriers pay it only if they deny a passenger boarding due to overbooking.

In this case, double the price of a one-way ticket is paid if passengers end up arriving two hours later than the original flight. The maximum compensation in this case is $650. If the company failed to meet this two-hour period, then compensation can be four times the cost of the ticket, up to $1,300. According to AirHelp statistics, 26 million air passengers in the United States can count on such compensation, but only 2% received it.

Asia

If we talk about Asia, compensation is minimal, and often there is simply no compensation. For example, if a flight is delayed or canceled due to the fault of China Eastern Airlines, this airline will simply provide flight information, provide meals and provide the necessary assistance. But if the flight is delayed through no fault of the carrier, then passengers will have to buy food at the airport at their own expense.

For a 20-hour delay due to the airline's fault, Korean Air apologized to passengers with all its staff, including the regional director, issued preferential coupons for flights next time, and compensated for hotel expenses, but no monetary compensation was expected.

But no matter what country you are in, be sure to keep your boarding pass in case your flight is delayed or cancelled!

How to receive this compensation?

To receive compensation, you must submit either a written, signed application or an online application to the airline. Different airlines have different requirements. Usually you need to attach copies of your boarding passes and passport.

Consideration of an application takes on average more than three months. You can also try to get a refund using online services. For example, on our website you can check for free whether your flight is eligible for compensation, upload the necessary documents and submit an application.

The airline may accept the claim and pay immediately. If this does not happen, but you intend to fight to the end, you will have to go to court.

Probably everyone who flies at least several times a year has seen the words on the board at the airport opposite their flight DELAYED or DETAINED. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely eliminate flight delays. Air transportation is an extremely complex process that includes many stages. A failure on any of them can lead to a flight delay. In addition, aviation activities are influenced by a number of factors that are hardly controllable. Every year, airlines suffer multimillion-dollar losses as a result of delays in their flights, and passengers suffer significant inconvenience. In this article we will talk about the main reasons for flight delays, what the airline does to prevent them, what passengers are told and what actually happens.

First, let's try to understand what a flight delay is. Many passengers mistakenly believe that the plane must leave the runway exactly at the time indicated on the ticket in the “departure time” column. In fact, this is not true at all, Departure time is the time when the aircraft starts moving from the parking lot, or the time for cleaning the ramp, depends on the technology used in a particular airline. Arrival time is, respectively, the time the aircraft is parked or the time the ramp is adjusted.

Scheduled flight time includes direct flight time, taking into account average wind data, as well as taxiing time before takeoff and after landing, which is determined statistically for a specific airport. Having bought a ticket, for example, from Domodedovo to St. Petersburg, you will see that the scheduled flight time is about an hour and forty minutes. It’s not surprising, because for a significant part of this time the plane will be rolling around the airfield.

Why not plan flights so that there are no delays? Yes, of course, you can schedule half an hour more “just in case”; the layover time between flights can also be increased so that the plane is guaranteed to be serviced in time. You can still keep a couple of reserve planes on the ground in case of breakdowns. The question is whether the passenger is willing to pay for it. The logic here is simple: if the plane does not fly, it causes losses.

There can be many reasons for delays, however, usually only three are announced to passengers at the airport. This is the late arrival of the plane, weather conditions or a technical reason. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Late arrival of the plane.

The most harmless delay from the passenger’s point of view, which is often abused by airlines. In a good way, such a delay should be issued several hours before the departure of your flight, if it was given half an hour before departure - know that late arrival most likely has nothing to do with it.

Late arrival occurs as follows. The airline assigns a specific aircraft to each flight. Most airlines try to minimize aircraft downtime, so flights are scheduled at minimal intervals. For A320 and B737 class aircraft this is about an hour at the base and 40-50 minutes at the transit airport between flights, this time is enough to prepare the aircraft for the next flight. Now imagine that the previous flight arrives late. Of course, the airline will try to quickly exchange planes in order to prevent delays to other flights. But if this is not possible, the next flight will be delayed by “late arrival of the aircraft.”

Weather conditions.

So, what can prevent a modern airliner from taking off and landing? The most common option is limited visibility, usually fog or heavy snow. During the landing approach, the so-called decision altitude is set, and if the pilot does not see the runway at this altitude, he has no right to continue the descent. Obviously, there is no point in flying if the crew already knows in advance that they will be forced to leave for an alternate airfield. It is not uncommon for one airline's plane to take off, while other carriers' flights to the same airport sit on the ground waiting for the weather. This is fine. Everyone has their own weather minimums for a specific crew, aircraft, and even airfield. And by the way, fog is often a local weather phenomenon; it is quite possible that it does not exist anywhere except the airport. Therefore, you should not say that you are being deceived; believe me, not a single airline will hide behind weather conditions. In addition to fog, delays are possible due to strong winds that exceed the aircraft's landing limitations, and also due to low runway friction, often due to a combination of the former and the latter. For each aircraft, restrictions are established on tailwind (it is more profitable for an aircraft to take off and land against the wind) and side wind components. Exceeding them is dangerous. If the runway is icy and even a not particularly strong side wind is blowing, you cannot land.

If we are talking about a short flight (less than 2 hours), then it often happens that delays are issued for a short time, and then extended many times, this is due to the fact that for such flights the decision is made based on actual weather conditions (actual weather reports are issued every half hour). If the flight time is more than two hours, the decision is made based on the forecast in order to arrive under the predicted improvement. For such flights, delays may be issued for several hours at once. It all depends on the specific commander, some prefer to issue a delay for two hours at once and wait quietly, others will keep passengers on board, hoping for improvement.

Technical reason.

Airplanes break down, that's a given. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an imported plane or a domestic one, new from the factory or one that has changed several airlines. If the flight is delayed for a technical reason, do not be alarmed; this does not mean that the wings of the plane will fall off in the air. As a rule, we are talking about minor malfunctions from a safety point of view, which are corrected within half an hour. The aircraft manufacturer provides clear instructions on what faulty equipment can be flown with and for how long. For example, you can fly with one faulty engine reverser and it will be absolutely safe, you just need to recalculate the required distances for takeoff and landing. If a plane breaks down at the airline's base airport, then most likely, if spare parts are available, it will be repaired within a few hours. It is much worse if the breakdown occurs outside the base at some small airport. In this case, most likely, you will have to wait until another plane is sent for you.

Often the airline tries to hide delays due to technical reasons from passengers. Firstly, this is a reputational loss, and secondly, it scares many passengers. If the plane broke down after passengers boarded, then, of course, everything is already obvious. But if it’s before passengers board, it’s unlikely you’ll ever find out about it.

Delays associated with the work of ground services.

As we have already said, the connecting time between flights for A320 aircraft at the base airport is about an hour. During this hour the following happens. The plane parks, the ramp is adjusted, buses for passengers arrive, passengers disembark, luggage and cargo are removed, a new crew arrives, fuel and water are refueled, the cabin is cleaned, in-flight meals are loaded, and the luggage of passengers on the next flight is loaded. These are just the main links in the aircraft maintenance chain on the ground.

If some kind of failure occurs in this circuit, a delay occurs. For example, they started refueling late, and until it is finished, passengers cannot be boarded. There are often queues at the airport at check-in, security screening, and passport control. All this is the result of unsatisfactory planning or simply ineffective work of the relevant services and results in late boarding of passengers on board, which means flight delays. All services, for one reason or another, more or less often fail or make mistakes; for the airline, all this results in flight delays.

The departure time has passed, and we are sitting on the plane, not going anywhere, why?

Again, there are several options. The most common. There is a queue for departure and in order not to burn fuel in the queue in front of the runway, the controller does not give permission to start the engines. There's really no point in being tenth in line when you can wait in the parking lot and take off without queuing. By the way, in Europe the same mechanism works with airspace. A powerful computer evaluates the congestion of the European sky and, if there is no space for your flight yet, issues a slot, i.e. delay time. Imagine if such a system worked for automobile traffic. Each driver submits his route plan and desired departure time. If the system sees that the roads are congested, a delay will be issued or a different route will be suggested. This is how they deal with traffic jams in the European sky.

The second option is that a passenger was removed from the flight (perhaps he did not show up for boarding or showed up drunk), but this passenger’s luggage remained on board. For safety reasons, the luggage of passengers not on board must be removed. It doesn't matter that it's already been watched. There are, say, 150 suitcases scattered in the trunk of an airplane; you need to find the right one, which takes time.

We took off on time but arrived late, why?

Yes, this happens very often. There are several possible reasons. As a rule, there is a strong headwind. The wind at high altitudes can easily reach 200 kilometers per hour, and if it is headwind, you will arrive much later. The influence of wind is especially noticeable on long flights.

Of course, the average value of wind speed and direction is taken into account when creating the schedule, but it is impossible to include any extreme cases in the schedule. Another reason is the forced lengthening of the route, this may be due to the avoidance of dangerous weather conditions (for example thunderstorms) or the closure of certain areas for flights.
And the last thing is waiting in line to board. In general, all over the world except Russia, this happens solely due to force majeure circumstances, for example, one of the runways is closed or weather conditions do not allow landing, resulting in a queue. In Russia, all of the above is compounded by the lack of adequate planning on the part of the airport, that is, the airport confirms slots (a slot is a time interval for the departure or arrival of a flight) for a larger number of flights than it can actually provide.

How do airlines deal with delays?

Any airline has an operations department that monitors current flights and, in the event of delays, can quickly exchange subsequent flights with each other and take other measures to minimize delay time. Major airlines have entire departments that are responsible for investigating delays. In any case, if there are culprits, various types of sanctions are applied to them.

"Your flight is delayed." "Your flight has been cancelled." Air passengers waiting for a plane often hear such announcements. Have you also encountered a similar situation? Do you know how to get compensation for a delayed flight? Let's figure out what needs to be done and where to go to restore justice.

When is compensation due for a flight delay?

No one will cancel, delay or reschedule a flight just like that. There must be reasons for this. For example, unfavorable weather, technical malfunction of the airliner, etc. Passengers can receive compensation only when the violation is the fault of the airline. Such cases include: unpreparedness of the crew or board for the flight, unprofitable flight, discrepancies in the schedule.

Some organizations deliberately sell more tickets. The fact is that, according to statistics, some clients return tickets at the last minute. To avoid losses, additional insurance is created. But the opposite effect is possible, called “overbooking”: there are more people than seats in the cabin. Then the air carrier is forced to refuse the flight to “extra” passengers. In this case, he must return the money.

Based on Art. 794 and 795 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, liability is not provided if the flight was delayed due to external circumstances: adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, staff strike, technical malfunction of the aircraft and other circumstances that pose a threat to life. Flights also have to be delayed if there are military operations or charter flights to certain destinations are prohibited. In such cases, it will not be possible to return the money.

When protecting your rights, rely on the following legal documents:

1. Civil Code – Art. 794 and 795;
2. Air Code – Art. 126, paragraph 4 of Art. 124;
3. Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” – clause 5 of Art. 28;
4. Federal Aviation Rules (FAR) - paragraphs 99, 227.

It doesn’t matter which flight you took: regular or charter. Which company you chose (national or low-cost airline) also doesn’t matter. Passengers have the same rights in all cases.

What the airline must provide free of charge

Clause 99 of the Federal Aviation Rules sets out how carriers must compensate for the inconvenience caused to passengers due to flight delay/rescheduling/cancellation. Which services are provided free of charge and under what conditions are shown in the table.

Can a carrier accommodate other people when providing accommodation due to a delayed flight? Definitely no. If passengers are dissatisfied with the chosen room (for objective reasons), they have the right to choose a hotel on their own. However, in such cases it is not always possible to fully compensate for the cost of living, and the company is not obliged to pay for transportation services.

In European countries, the same compensation is provided for the inconvenience caused (overnight, meals). But there is one difference: when the flight is postponed by more than 5 hours, you can not only return the money for the air ticket, but also demand a free return to the original point. The company must fulfill these obligations.

Compensation for cancellation and rescheduling of flights in Russia

In case of flight delays or cancellations due to the fault of the airline, passengers receive compensation in the amount of 3% of the ticket price/hour and a quarter of the minimum wage. The legislation says nothing about additional compensation.

When a flight is canceled several days before departure, the at-fault company may offer an alternative flight through another carrier. The place of arrival does not change. Passengers cannot be charged extra. The second way to solve the problem is to return the full cost of the air ticket based on clause 227 of the FAP.

Note: When you buy one ticket with a transfer, you can offset the cost of the entire flight. But if you issue two tickets separately, compensation is paid differently. For example, the first flight in the direction Moscow - Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires - Cordoba was cancelled. Then the money is returned only for the route Moscow - Buenos Aires, the cost of the second flight is compensated according to standard rules. If the flight from Buenos Aires to Cordoba did not take place and the passenger had a wasted trip, the offending organization returns the funds spent on the flight to the capital of Argentina and pays for the return to Russia.

Compensation for violations depending on timing and distance

If you are flying from an EU country or the airline you are flying with is registered in the European Union, you can expect to receive compensation of up to €600.

The amount of compensation is affected by waiting time and distance. You cannot receive it if the flight is delayed by 2 to 3 hours. When the wait lasts from 3 to 4 hours, passengers are paid:

• 250 € – distance does not exceed 1500 km;
• 400 € – from 1500 to 3500 km;
• 400 € – more than 1500 km within the European Union;
• 300 € – the distance between airports is more than 3,500 km.

You can receive compensation for flight delays in the amount of 600 € when the delay exceeds 4 hours.

What compensation is due for a canceled flight depends on when the passenger learned about it. If the message arrived two weeks before departure (or later), the amount will be from 125 to 600 € (depending on the distance and delay time of the alternative route). If the notice period exceeds 14 days, no payment will be given.

US airlines do not provide compensation to passengers for canceled, delayed or rescheduled flights. Free food, drinks and phone calls are also not provided.

How to make a claim

When the air carrier has not fulfilled its obligations due to its own fault and is not going to compensate for the damage, file a claim. Prepare as many documents as possible confirming the fact of violation of the contract. Of course, you need to collect them in advance.

Checks, receipts and other papers that reflect your expenses while waiting for the plane will be useful. For example, staying in a hotel, traveling by transport, buying drinks and food at the airport, etc. It is advisable to take a photo of the departure board so that the current time and flight status can be seen. After announcing the delay, ask airline representatives to certify the air ticket with a stamp and put the appropriate mark. When boarding, indicate the actual departure time.

Based on Art. 126 of the VZK of the Russian Federation, claims can be made against the airline within six months from the date of violation of the contract. In European countries, the period has been extended to two years (Montreal Convention), and in the UK - to six years.

Where to apply for compensation

Submit your prepared claim to airline representatives at the place of arrival or departure. If you can’t find them, send the document by registered mail with an inventory to the organization’s address. Be sure to keep a copy of the application and confirmation of delivery - this is your evidence. The company must respond to the complaint within a month. There is a third option - to file a complaint on the company’s official website, but such requests are most often ignored.

After submitting the complaint, no action was taken? Have you received an unfair refusal? Then go to court. It is advisable to work with a lawyer, since winning a dispute with an airline can be difficult. Be sure to adhere to the deadline for filing a claim. When a flight is delayed/cancelled/rescheduled due to the fault of the air carrier, 25% of the minimum wage is reimbursed. Receiving compensation in excess of 1/2 of the ticket price is not possible.

Claiming compensation for flight delays through Compensair.com

Go to the official website Compensair.com and click on the “Check Flight” button.

Enter the required information: arrival/departure location, date, airline name and duration of delay. Please indicate whether the organization has offered an alternative flight. Then click on the “Calculate compensation” button.

Find out if you are entitled to payments. If applicable, send a request to the Compensair.com service specialists. They will analyze your situation and prepare an initial claim. They will negotiate with the lawyers of the offending airline to resolve the conflict out of court.

It is beneficial to use the Compensair.com service because employees take on all the risks, paperwork and routine work. You save time and nerves that you already had to spend on an unsuccessful flight. But there are certain conditions:

• the service charges a commission of 25% on the compensation received;
• representatives are engaged in matters for which compensation of at least 250 € is due;
• Cases that are less than 6 years old are considered;
• recovery of compensation is not possible for a delayed flight, canceled or rescheduled due to force majeure.

Unfortunately, many airlines experience schedule disruptions and flight delays are a common occurrence. But this does not mean that passengers should take it calmly. No. Just prepare for everything in advance. Our recommendations will definitely help you protect your interests.

, how to get your money back if your tour is cancelled. However, even if the flight took place but was delayed, you are entitled to compensation. Here are a few rules on how to behave in the event of a flight delay or cancellation.

Forewarned is forearmed

Before departure, read the travel contract drawn up by the travel agency: check whether non-departure insurance is included in the terms of the contract and what you are entitled to in case of flight cancellation. Ideally, this should be done during the registration of the contract, but no one thinks about the bad when planning a vacation? Regardless of who organized the tour, it is the travel agency that will be responsible for improper fulfillment of obligations, that is, claims, if anything happens, will need to be presented to them.

If you are flying on your own, take the time to open the airline’s website and familiarize yourself with the insurance and ticket return rules. For example, low-cost airlines usually do not include non-departure insurance in the ticket price, but it can be purchased additionally when purchasing.

If your flight is cancelled, you must either be offered an alternative flight or receive a full refund. The airline must pay compensation if the flight was canceled or delayed due to its fault - for example, due to inconsistencies and overbooking. If the flight is delayed or canceled due to bad weather, strike or military action, no compensation is paid (although there are pleasant exceptions).

First steps when a flight is delayed or canceled

If your flight is delayed, notify your travel agency immediately and/or find a representative from your airline. Be sure to contact the airport staff and put a note on the ticket or boarding pass to cancel or reschedule your flight. Another option is to get a similar certificate there (this is convenient if you have an electronic ticket).

If your flight is delayed: request drinks, food and overnight accommodations

For both charters and regular flights, there are rules according to which airlines must provide passengers with food and, in case of a long delay, overnight accommodation. It doesn’t matter for what reasons the flight is delayed. But you shouldn’t expect that airline representatives will look for you at the airport to offer you food and a soft bed: you will need to go to the carrier’s counter yourself or call company representatives (and record the conversation using a voice recorder! - we’ll talk about this rule later).

If a flight is delayed by two hours, the passenger is entitled to a free drink, two phone calls or an email. Passengers with small children - under 7 years old - must be provided with a mother and child room.

After 4 hours of delay, the passenger is entitled to free hot meals. Thereafter, hot meals should be offered every 6-8 hours.

If the wait for the next flight exceeds 8 hours during the day or 6 hours at night (in the rules of some other codes - if the flight is postponed to the next day or if the delay exceeds 12 hours), the passenger must be provided with a hotel. You have the right to request a transfer from the airport to the hotel and back. If the transfer is not provided, take a receipt from the taxi driver or keep your tickets for using other transport: according to the rules, you should get your money back.

For all these passenger “privileges” you need to contact an airline representative or tour operator.

Document everything

Dial the airline number and no one answers? Record this on video and take appropriate screenshots. Save recordings of telephone conversations: many phones have this option out of the box, or you can download a special application for recording calls. Directly at the airport, record all conversations with airline representatives. Take photographs of the documents, especially those where the departure and arrival times are indicated, you can photograph the board at the airport and the tickets themselves (including new ones if you decide to fly with another airline).

Find other "victims"

It’s good if you know in advance at least a few people who will fly with you. If you are unfamiliar, try to find the same “victims” on the spot. Be sure to exchange contacts, form a conversation in Viber, WhatsApp or any other messenger convenient for you. Firstly, it is always easier to solve a problem together, and secondly, collective complaints are always more difficult to ignore.

Keep all receipts

If you were unable to find airline representatives, you can purchase drinks and food yourself, keeping all receipts: in this case, it will be more difficult to return what you spent, but there is still a chance. If you took a taxi to the hotel on your own, you need to take a receipt from the taxi driver - the airline is obliged to return the money. The receipts will subsequently need to be attached to the complaint.

Watch what they offer you in return

If the company provides a hotel, it must offer you round-trip transfers and free luggage storage.

If the class of the plane is lower than the one you should have originally had, then you should be refunded the difference.

If you are offered a flight from/to another airport, the transfer must be provided by the airline.

If a delay causes you to miss your next flight, the airline must refund you for the unused ticket or provide you with a seat on the next flight to your destination (this is if you bought one ticket for a connecting flight). If you bought tickets in different segments, then the second ticket will have to be returned according to the general rules, losing a significant part of the amount.

If the departure time of your flight is different from the one the airline offered you, the passenger should also be provided with compensation, as if the plane was delayed.

The flight was cancelled: how to get the money back?

A claim for a refund, payment of penalties and compensation must be submitted to the service provider specified in the travel contract. Since tickets for charters are usually sold by travel agencies, they are the ones who most often turn to for a refund. So, if the charter is canceled and the flight on another date does not suit you, you have the right to refuse the trip and demand a refund. To do this, you will need to obtain confirmation from the tour seller that the flight has been cancelled. After this, you can submit a request for a refund.

Please include copies of airline tickets, boarding passes, tickets for events planned during the trip, as well as copies of hotel reservations with your claim. Fill out the claim in two copies - on the second copy the travel seller will put a mark indicating receipt of the claim.

As for the air carrier: you can write a claim at the airport if there is an airline office there. If there is no carrier office at the airport, you can send a claim by registered mail.

If your money is not returned, go to court. Please note that legal proceedings take place in the country where the flight cancellation occurred. If the incident occurred abroad, you will need to write a claim in English and attach all the same documents - tickets, boarding passes, checks. Services such as AirHelp, Compensair, Flight Delays offer their services to passengers: they charge a good commission for their services, but if the air carrier does not return the money, then no commission will be charged.

It’s better not to delay filing a complaint: each country has its own rules regarding the period during which you can apply for compensation.

How much is compensation for flight delay?

According to the current EU regulation No. 261/2004, if you are flying to/from the EU, compensation for flight cancellation, denial of boarding or delay of at least 3 hours (or if the delay was less than 3 hours, but because of this you missed your connecting flight) ranges from €250 to €600. The amount varies depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay. For example, if you waited more than three hours and your flight distance was less than 1,500 kilometers, the compensation amount will be 250 euros. You can calculate the approximate amount of compensation using a special calculator. The amount of compensation may be less if the air carrier offered you an alternative flight that arrives only a few hours later (from 2 to 4 depending on the distance), but for some reason you refused it. European companies must return funds within 7 days; if this does not happen, you can go to court.

If you are traveling around Russia (i.e. flying from one Russian city to another), according to Art. 120 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the carrier must pay compensation: 25% of the minimum wage (minimum wage). In this case, the maximum fine cannot exceed half the ticket price. If an international flight is cancelled, you can count on larger compensation (according to the Montreal Convention), but for this you will have to go to court, since, according to the convention, the carrier is not obliged to compensate funds voluntarily.

Themes: Encyclopedia of tourists

Anyone who has traveled by plane has experienced flight delays. But not many people know about their rights, as well as the airline’s responsibilities in such situations.

Rights of passengers and obligations of airlines when a flight is delayed within Russia

In Russia, according to paragraph 99 of the Federal Aviation Rules of the Russian Federation, in the event of a break in transportation due to the fault of the carrier, as well as in the event of a flight delay, flight cancellation due to unfavorable meteorological conditions, for technical and other reasons, changes in the transportation route, the carrier is obliged to organize for passengers at points departures and at intermediate points the following services:

If flight delayed for 2 to 4 hours: two phone calls or two emails, free drinks, free access to the mother and baby room (if you are flying with children under seven years old).

If the flight is delayed from 4 to 8 hours: free hot meals. If the flight is delayed for a long time, feeding should be done every six hours during the day and every eight hours at night.

If flight delayed more than 8 hours during the day or more than 6 hours at night, the airline is obliged to accommodate you in a hotel and provide round-trip transfers. At the same time, according to the law, you must be accommodated in a separate room without strangers. The airline is also obliged to ensure the organization of baggage storage.

Don't expect airline staff to come looking for you and hand you out refreshments or food vouchers. In most cases you will have to remind yourself. Do not hesitate to find an airline representative and inform him of the responsibilities.

What financial compensation is due if a flight is delayed within Russia?

A flight delay often entails additional expenses - you missed an important meeting, a hotel reservation “disappeared”, a canceled excursion, etc. In this case, financial compensation is provided.

An important point needs to be clarified.

The airline is not to blame in the event of the following force majeure circumstances: natural disasters (fires, drifts, floods) and weather conditions, military operations, cessation or restriction of cargo transportation in certain directions, as well as, in some cases, staff strikes or malfunctions threatening the life and health of passengers (Articles 794 and 795 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

In other cases, the airline is liable for violation of the contract of carriage. So what kind of material compensation are we entitled to?

If the airline cannot prove the impact of force majeure on the flight delay, she is obliged:

• pay the passenger 25% of the minimum wage for each hour of waiting, but not more than 50% of the ticket price, as a fine (Article 120 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation).

According to current legislation, passengers are not entitled to additional compensation for canceled flights, however, passengers have the right to a refund of the cost of tickets or an exchange for an alternative flight offered by the carrier.

These responsibilities of air carriers are regulated by the Federal Aviation Rules “General Rules for the Air Transportation of Passengers, Baggage, Cargo and Requirements for Services for Passengers, Shippers, and Consignees,” as well as the Air Code of the Russian Federation.

What needs to be done to receive compensation.

First of all, find an airline representative. It can be at the counter where you checked in for the flight, as well as at the airline ticket office at the airport. If you have already passed pre-flight inspection, then the employee can be found at the exit (gate) from where the plane was scheduled to depart.

If you cannot find it, ask any airport employee (preferably at the information desk) where to look for it.

If this doesn’t help, call the airline’s call center.

You will need to receive a flight delay note from an airline representative.

Sometimes these duties are performed by one of the airport employees. Therefore, if you do not find a representative of the airline, ask for a check from an airport employee; to do this, go to the information desk.

What does a flight delay mark look like?

Don't worry if you couldn't find anyone. The fact that the flight was delayed is absolutely clearly recorded in the documents, so if you were not provided with anything that was required, then upon your return, you can safely write a claim to the airline. Please enclose your boarding pass with your application.

You may be faced with a situation where the airline refuses to provide hotel and meals. In this case, keep all receipts for expenses incurred. Upon return, write a pre-trial claim to the airline, attaching copies of all receipts, boarding pass, and notes about the delay.

Please be patient and possibly have the help of a lawyer.

Passenger rights and airline responsibilities when a flight is delayed in Europe.

If your flight is delayed in the European Union, you are entitled to much more.

Air travel within the EU is regulated by Regulation EC No. 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.02.2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or long delay of flights. All airlines flying within the EU are guided by this document.

This resolution applies:

• to any airlines that fly from an airport located in the EU. For example, an S7 or Aeroflot flight from Rome to Moscow is also subject to this law.
• to all airlines registered in the EU, if the flight destination is in the EU. For example, if an Air France flight departs from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

According to this resolution, if a flight is expected to depart later than indicated in the schedule:

• For 2 hours or more, provided that the flight distance is 1,500 km or less, or
• For 3 or more hours for flights within the EU of more than 1,500 km, and for all other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, or
• For 4 hours or more in all other cases.

The carrier is obliged to offer you free of charge:

• Nutrition
• Hotel accommodation (if you need to stay one or more nights)
• Transfer between the airport and your accommodation
• 2 phone calls, faxes, or emails.

And now the most interesting thing - how much can you get from the airline?

What financial compensation is due in case of flight delay or cancellation?

According to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, if your flight is delayed, regardless of the cost of the ticket, you are entitled to compensation.

For each passenger, compensation for delays, flight cancellations or denied boarding ranges from €250 to €600. The amount varies depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay (see table below). Receiving compensation is possible if the following conditions are met:

One of the following happened to you:

• Your flight was delayed for at least 3 hours
• Your flight has been canceled
• Your flight was delayed by less than 3 hours, but because of this you missed your next connecting flight, and as a result arrived at your final destination more than 3 hours late
• You were denied boarding due to lack of available seats (overbooking)

Also if:

• Flight delay/cancellation is not caused by adverse weather conditions, air personnel strike or other force majeure circumstances
• No more than 6 years have passed since the flight

You are not entitled to compensation in the following cases::

• you were notified of the flight cancellation at least 14 days before the scheduled flight date;
• the airline has offered you another flight on the same route.

Compensation for denied boarding

In the event of a denied boarding, airlines will first look for passengers who can give up their reservation in exchange for certain benefits. The carrier must offer volunteers a choice between:

• Refund of the full cost of the ticket
• Changing the route

If the passenger chooses to change the route, the carrier undertakes to provide him with support while waiting for the next flight. This may include meals, telephone access, hotel accommodation (one night or more as needed), and transportation from the airport to your accommodation and back.

If you do not wish to cancel your booking and are refused boarding, you are entitled to compensation of between €250 and €600 per passenger plus a refund of the full cost of the ticket.

The service works very simply - you fill out an application in Russian on the website. Fill in flight details and a short description
It takes 2 minutes. Does everything else. If the decision is positive, the agency withholds 25% of the amount. The service operates on a win-no-fee basis, that is, you pay only according to the results. Nothing is paid in advance!