Flying with non-EU airlines: How to get flight compensation?
In the EU (and UK), air passengers are protected by law.
All thanks to the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261. If you are flying to, from or within the EU or UK you are protected by these regulations -- if your flight gets heavily delayed or cancelled last minute, often you can receive flight compensation up to €600 per passenger.
These rules apply to all commercial flights. But what about flights with non-EU airlines? Other airlines? What about tourists travelling to Europe?
Check your compensation online!
Flying with a non-EU airline: Your rights
Let's look at the regulations.
Right to compensation
According to the above-mentioned regulations, you are entitled to EU flight compensation / UK flight compensation, if:
- Your flight is heavily delayed. If you have arrived 3+ hours later than planned, this already counts as a long delay. If the delay is more than 4 hours long -- very long delay.
- Your flight is cancelled last minute. If your flight has been cancelled less than 14 days before the date of departure, then in the EU and UK it's a last-minute cancellation.
- You are denied boarding. You are denied boarding because of overbooking. Everything's in order with your passport and travel documents, yet you're still denied boarding -- most likely it's due to flight overbooking.
Conditions:
- It must be due to fault of your airline;
- A flight must depart from Europe.
In this case, the latter is the most important. If your flight is with, let's say, a Mexican or Brazilian airline, but it departed from the EU, EEA or UK, you may be entitled to European flight compensation. With EU and UK airlines all of this apply also to flights departing from other countries (as long as the final destination is in the EU, EEA or UK).
Air Canada, Air India, American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways have to follow these rules and pay compensation when it's due. All airlines operating flights from Europe have to follow these rules.
We can help you to get this compensation!
Right to care from airline
If you are at the airport, you have the right to care.
Mostly it means free food and drinks, if it’s a 3+ hour delay, or free food, drinks and free accommodation, if it’s a very long delay and you have to wait over night. With non-EU airlines this is in power only if the flight is departing from Europe. No matter the reasons of the delay.
All passengers are protected
All of this apply to all passengers on these flights.
By Europe and EU we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin, the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
If you are flying from somewhere else, AND you're flying with a non-EU / non-UK airline, then it doesn’t fall under the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261. And in these situations we will not be able to help you. You’ll have to look at the regulations and laws of the country your airline is from.
Your kid can receive full flight compensation too.
Everyone has the same rights to full compensation.
EU flight compensation rules:
Non-EU flight delay compensation
Once again, here we are talking about EU / UK laws.
About EU / UK flight delay compensation rules.
All of the above mentioned apply only if it's a flight from the EU. And I'll repeat, when we say EU or European, we mean EU, EEA and UK. It is done for simplicity. The rules in all these countries are more or less the same.
If it's a EU - non-EU flight, it applies to all airlines, European and non-European airlines. No matter if it's Lufthansa or Turkish Airlines, you are equally protected.
If it's a non-EU - non-EU flight, these rules doesn't apply.
On these flights you aren't protected by these regulations.
If it's a non-EU - EU flight, it applies only if you are flying with an airline that's registered in the EU or UK. If you are flying with a European airline. This applies also to charter airlines and low cost airlines. In these situations you can get EU airline compensation.
So, you see, when it comes to Europe, it's very easy, there are specific rules in place. Even if it's non-EU airline like Qatar Airways, you can still get a flight compensation. As long as the flight departs from an airport in the EU. In the rest of the situations, when trying to get flight delay compensation outside EU, mostly you'll be relying on your airline's policies.
If they pay compensations in particular situations, you'll get it. If they don't - you won't get it. If they pay it only in coupons, you'll have to accept that.
Yet in Europe everything is regulated.
There are specific rules and laws.
You can get compensation to your bank account.
Cancelled flight? Overbooking?
The rules are the same.
Conditions are the same.
The amount of flight compensation
In Europe, the exact amount of flight compensation varies and is based on the distance of your flight, and occasionally some other factors. However, it’s not affected by the price of the flight or airline you are flying with. So, how much exactly is your claim worth?
Mostly the answer will be €250, €400 or €600.
Here is how you can calculate it:
€250 - of the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres.
€400 - if the distance of your flight is between 1500 - 3500 kilometres.
€600 - if the distance of your flight is more than 3500 kilometres.
There’s one exception. In case when the distance of your flight is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination with a delay between 3 - 4 hours, you are entitled to compensation of €300.
Claiming compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight which was operated by a non-EU airline
Ok, but how to get that money?
How to claim flight compensation?
First things first, to get the compensation, you should ask for it. If you do nothing, if you don’t file a compensation claim -- then you’ll get nothing. Airlines know that. They know that most of travellers aren’t informed about their rights, and they’ll do nothing.
One of the options is to contact the airline directly. Some airlines have special EU flight delay compensation form on their website. If you can’t find it, use any contact form you can find. Submit all the information they are asking for and wait.
Be prepared, that it will take a while.
Or, you can take a shortcut.
And let us to do it on your behalf.
When working with us, here is all you will have to do:
- Go to this page on our website;
- Fill in the details about yourself and your flight;
- Upload your boarding pass and passport copy;
- Sign the claim online.
And that’s it. We’ll do the rest.
Later you’ll tell us your bank account details and we’ll make the transfer. We are a no win, no fee flight compensation agency. We work under a no win, no fee agreement -- it will cost you nothing, if we're unable to collect your compensation for some reason. If we are successful, however, we’ll take €25 + 25% of the amount of the compensation and transfer you the rest.
The procedure is the same both for EU and non-EU airlines.
Let’s work together?