What to do if the flight is canceled or delayed?

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Flight delay

An unpleasant situation associated with a delay or cancellation of a flight can affect every traveler. Sometimes this is not a big problem, and sometimes it can cause a serious delay for a transfer.

There can be many reasons for such unpleasant situations. Not every time the airline is to blame for this, so it is better to know in advance about situations in which you can demand money back, or voice your rights, in accordance with current laws.

The airline is not responsible for the cancellation or delay of the flight, if ...

A natural disaster struck in the arrival / departure area of the aircraft. Hurricanes floods, fires, snow drifts, snowstorms or heavy rains - everything fits into this category.
Military operations have begun in the arrival / departure area. Anti-terrorist operations with the use of short and medium-range weapons are now equated to"military" actions.
Flights in the direction you need are temporarily suspended. This is most often associated with the first two reasons.
At the airport of arrival / departure, a strike of personnel not related to your airline has begun.

The Airline is responsible for the cancellation or delay of a flight if ...

“ overbooking” (English - overbooking) happened. This term refers to the nominal excess of the number of tickets sold over the actual number of seats on the plane. The most common mistake of airlines, in which it is obliged to take full responsibility.
There is a discrepancy in the schedules. The second most frequent mistake is when two or three airlines could not agree in advance on the departure schedule.
The crew of the vessel is not ready to take off. Most often - due to the sudden illness of the pilot and the absence of a person ready to replace.
The flight turned out to be “unprofitable”, that is, it was sold too a small number of tickets with serious transportation costs.

Circumstances of the flight cancellation and rescheduling, and what you have the right to demand

If the flight is canceled several days in advance, and you were notified of this, then ...

You can request an alternative route with the same destination. The change of tickets is carried out at the expense of the airline.
You have the right to demand money back if the airline is proven to be guilty and if you cancel the trip.

IMPORTANT: Transit flights will have their own rules consistent with the laws of the country you are transiting to. Best passenger laws in the UK. If your transit flight disrupts the purpose of your trip - for example, business meeting or participation in competitions, then British carriers will be required to provide you with a free ticket to Russia.

If you found out about the cancellation or transfer of your flight already at the airport ...

Then you will be offered to transfer to another flight. If the airline is the same, then you just have to wait for the next departure.

If the offer comes from another carrier, then there will be several options:

The ticket is issued free of charge ( due to the fault of the airline);
The difference in the ticket price is paid by you (due to weather conditions).

Also the airline undertakes to pay compensation to the passenger for each hour of waiting. In Russia, this compensation is 3% of the ticket price for every hour + 25% minimum wage fine (minimum wage). However, according to the same law, the fine cannot be more than 50% of the ticket price, even in the event of a long wait.

Compensations in the EU countries depend on the waiting time for the next flight, and on the number of days for which you were warned by the airline. The run-up of compensations in Europe is large: from 125 to 600 euros per person.

In the USA, compensations are not provided for - each airline has the right to establish its own rules. Most often, the replacement of tickets is carried out at the expense of the passenger, regardless of the circumstances. Overbooking is the only reason for free replacement.

More than 8 hours delay

Free room at the nearest hotel for a day or more. They are obliged to take you there at the expense of the airline.
If you cancel the hotel, then in the waiting room every 6 hours during the daytime (and every 8 hours at night) you must be provided with a set lunch or dinner.

What to do to get the money back for tickets?

If the flight cancellation and the subsequent claim from you are made in Russia, then here will be operate our laws. If on the territory of another state - then the laws of that country.

The first thing you must do is write a written claim, to which are attached:

copies of route receipts,
tickets for events,
information about paid hotel reservation, etc.

The Airline undertakes to refund the canceled flight within 30 working days. If this does not happen, then the passenger has every right to go to court.

According to the current law, the passenger has the right to claims and statements of claim within within six months from the date of flight cancellation.

For European air carriers, the statute of limitations is 2 years.

For the UK, the statute of limitations is 6 years.

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Topic: What to do if the flight is canceled or delayed?.

Author: Kelly Costine

What to do if the flight is canceled or delayed? (Topic)