Flight Compensation: How Do I Know if the EU Regulation 261/2004 Applies to Me?

The EU regulation 261/2004 is also known as the flight compensation regulation. It was passed in 2004 to protect the rights of passengers against severe flight disruptions. This includes flight delays, flight cancellations, and denied bookings. The law acknowledges that these flight disruptions can cause great inconvenience to the passengers and as a result, affected passengers should be duly compensated. 

Under this law, you may be compensated with up to €600, which is largely dependent on the flight distance. The specific amount you get is calculated as follows:

• Short distances up to 1500km, e.g. London – Edinburgh: €250 compensation
• Medium distances up to 3500km, e.g. London – Athens: €400 compensation
• Long distances more than 3500km, e.g. London – Tokyo: €600 compensation

In addition to the monetary compensation, you may also be entitled to other things. This includes the right to care where you have access to complimentary food and drinks and basic services like telephone and internet connection. You may also get a free pass to the airport lounge for comfort if you have a long flight delay. If your flight has been delayed for more than five hours or eventually cancelled, you are entitled to a ticket refund or a free rescheduled flight.

Am I Eligible for Flight Compensation?

To be eligible for flight compensation, you must meet the following criteria:

• You have a valid ticket and booking information from a flight departing from an EU member state or the UK. This also applies if your flight is landing in an EU or UK airport, provided that the airline is headquartered in the EU or UK. 
• The reason behind the flight disruption was within the airline’s control and not due to extraordinary circumstances. 
• In the case of a delay, you arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours late. 
• In the case of a cancellation, the airline notified you of the cancellation less than 14 days before departure or never notified you. 
• In the case of denied boarding, you could not find a seat onboard due to overbooking.
• In the case of a missed connecting flight, you arrived at your final destination three or more hours late due to a missed flight after being delayed on a prior flight. The airline the connecting flight is operated on doesn’t matter.

The regulation does not apply to you if:

• The reason behind the disruption wasn’t the airline’s fault and they couldn’t have done anything about it. 
• You have a discounted or free ticket that is unavailable to the public.
• You checked in late, which is less than 45 minutes to the time of departure. 

Bottom Line

There are several reasons why your flight could get disrupted but no one should have to suffer for it, especially if it was within the airline’s control. The EU 261 law protects your rights and you should take advantage of it. If you find yourself in such a situation, gather your documents and kickstart the process of getting compensated.