Charter Airlines: What are your rights?
If you book your flights yourself, mostly these will be regular, scheduled flights operated by regular airlines. However, if you book a package holiday, where both flights and accommodation are included, these usually are, so called, charter flights, mostly operated by charter airlines. What does it mean for you? Will you be protected?
What if your charter flight gets heavily delayed or cancelled?
Will you be eligible to receive flight compensation?
Check your compensation online!
Or continue reading to learn more about your rights.
Charter flight delays and cancellations: Your rights
There are private and public charters.
In this article we will focus on public charters and discuss what are your rights if a charter flight gets cancelled or delayed.
If you’re flying to, from or within Europe, mostly you are under the EU's protection.
If you’re flying with a non-European airline, it applies to flights from and within Europe. But if you're travelling with a European airline, the same rules apply also when flying from somewhere else to Europe. If your flight has been cancelled or delayed often you have the right to compensation.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers are entitled to a compensation up to €600 if their flight is delayed for 3 or more hours, or cancelled. This applies to all flight delays and cancellations, when it's the airline's fault. For example, if your flight is late due to technical problems. Technical problems is airline’s fault (you can get a compensation).
And you also have the right to care.
1. Does it apply also to charter flights?
Yes.
The same rules apply also to charter flights.
If your charter flight is disrupted, often you can get a compensation.
It doesn't matter if it's Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways (regular airlines) or TUI (charter airline). If your flight / charter flight is delayed for 3 or more hours or cancelled, you are entitled to a compensation up to €600, just like you would if it was a regular, scheduled flight.
Assuming that it's the airlines fault.
From this point of view there is no difference between charter flight and scheduled flight. Your rights are the same.
2. How much can you claim?
Mostly you can claim €250, €400 or €600.
Depending on the distance of your flight.
There are some exceptions, but mostly it's as simple as this:
- €250, if the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres (1-2 hour flights);
- €400, if the distance of the flight is between 1500 - 3500 kilometres;
- €600, if the distance is more than 3500 kilometres (mostly 5+ hour flights).
Check your compensation online.
How to claim compensation for flight delays and cancellations?
How to claim compensation for delayed flight?
Or charter flight cancellation?
Here are two of the best options you have:
1. You can try and do it on your own. Go to the website of the airline, find the right form, fill it, submit all the information they are asking for and wait. In some situations they will get back to you soon afterwards, in other - you will have to remind about your claim. Be prepared, that it takes a while to get your charter flight compensation. Mostly - months.
Contact us, if you’ll need legal advice.
2. Or you can take the shortcut.
Register your flight online at refundor.com.
We will do the rest.
- Go to this page on our website;
- Fill in the details about yourself and your flight delay or cancellation;
- Upload your boarding pass and passport copy;
- Sign the claim online.
And… that’s it.
We’ll take it from here.
You don't have to be European to be entitled to EU flight compensation.
What are charter flights and charter airlines?
Charter airlines are airlines that offer their aircrafts for rent to third-party travel providers.
The main difference between a regular (either traditional or low cost) and a charter airline is that the latter offers entire aircrafts for rent and does not have scheduled flights. And that's the main difference between charter flight and scheduled flight. Charter flights usually are seasonal.
There are private and public charters.
Public charters are offered by airlines on a seasonal basis, operating on limited schedules.
Private charters are rented by individuals or groups or people for individual (or group flights).
Public charters
A public charter flight is an unscheduled flight by an aircraft rented for a specific journey which is not part of an airline's regular schedule.
However, there is a certain schedule to charter flights (for example, once or twice a week). But still, tickets can’t be booked like the ones for regular scheduled flights. Charter flights are booked by a third party (holiday operators and travel agents), and this third party is responsible for all the seats on the flight.
A person is put on a charter flight with other people who have bought the same package holiday which includes this particular chartered flight.
Charter airlines operate charter flights on a seasonal basis. For instance, holiday operators sell package holidays (which include charter flights) to European beach destinations (Cyprus, Greece, Spanish islands) only in high season when the weather is at its best.
Some scheduled airlines offer additional charter services as well.
Popular charter airlines in Europe
Here are some of the most popular charter airlines in Europe.
TUI Airways - formerly known as Thomson Airways, the world's largest charter airline;
Thomas Cook Airlines - a British airline (collapsed in 2019);
Titan Airways - a British charter airline;
Smartwings - a Czech airline;
SmartLynx Airlines - a charter airline based in Latvia;
Bulgarian Air Charter - a Bulgarian charter airline;
Danish Air Transport (DAT) - a Danish airline.
Some of these charter airlines (e.g., TUI Airways) also offer scheduled services as well.
TUI Airways (formerly - Thomson Airways) is the most popular airline offering charter flights.
Charter airline destinations
Some of the most popular charter destinations in and near Europe are:
- Turkey (Dalaman, Antalya, Bodrum);
- Greece (Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos);
- Cyprus (Larnaca, Paphos);
- Croatia (Split and Dubrovnik);
- Italy (Amalfi Coast, Sardinia, Sicily);
- Spain (Balearic Islands, Canary Islands);
- France (Nice, Chambéry);
- Bulgaria (Sofia).
Have a great holiday!
And if there are some problems with your flight, do not hesitate to contact us!
Remember - whenever your flight is delayed, cancelled or you've been denied boarding - you might be entitled to flight compensation. Contact us to get it sorted out right away!