Denied boarding? Cancellation? Long delay? Lost baggage?

Travelling by plane has taken off significantly since the early 1990s. However, this rapid growth has also led to some inconveniences, which have often affected passengers.

Faced with these developments, the European Union has been working since 1991 to guarantee basic rights for all passengers by developing EU legislation to apply in all European Union countries,

In February 2005, EC Regulation 261/ 2004 came into effect. This Regulation establishes common rules on compensation and assistance to air passengers in certain situations. This legislation applies to passengers departing from airports situated within the territory of a Member State and all those arriving.,, into such airports from a third country where the flight is operated by an EU carrier.

Your rights when travelling by air include:

- the right to information;

- the right to reimbursement or re-routing if your flight gets cancelled or you are denied boarding; the right to reimbursement if your flight is delayed by five hours or more;

- the right to assistance and, under certain circumstances, the right to compensation in the event of long delay, cancellation or denied boarding;

- the right to complain and have access to means of redress; the right to travel in the same conditions as other citizens if you have a disability or a reduced mobility.

European legislation also stipulates who is responsible in the case of a long delay, death, injury or mishandled baggage to ensure you will always get what you are entitled to.

SUMMARY OF AIR PASSENGER RIGHTS

People with disabilities and people with reduced mobility

Under EU legislation people with disabilities and/or reduced mobility are protected from being discriminated against during reservation and boarding. They are also entitled to receive assistance at airports (on departure, on arrival and in transit] and on board airplanes. In order to facilitate the provision of assistance, it is recommended to pre-notify your needs.

Denied boarding

When passengers are denied boarding on a flight, airlines are obliged to first seek volunteers to give up their reservation in exchange for certain benefits. In addition, the air carrier must also offer volunteers the choice between a full refund and re-routing.

You may be entitled to compensation of between €125 and €600 depending on the distance of the flight and the delays experienced before being re-routed. Where volunteers choose re-routing, the airline must also provide assistance if necessary, for example - food, access to a telephone, a one or more night stay if necessary and transportation between the airport and the place of accommodation.

Cancellation

 You are also entitled to identical compensation to that offered when you are denied boarding, unless you were informed of the cancellation at least U days before the flight, or you were rerouted close to your original times, or if the airline can prove that the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. In addition the airline must offer you the choice between

More information at ec.europa.eu/passenger-rights

TEL. : 00 8006789 10 11