Am I entitled to air passengers compensation if my flight was cancelled and I did not get a re-route?

Question

Recently a flight was cancelled and I think I was mistreated. On the day, about 5 of the flights from the airport got cancelled, they claimed it was because of bad weather. I had to wait for two more hours after my estimated departure time only to get information that my flight was cancelled.

However, 5 minutes from the information being anounced, another airlines plane departed from the same airport, and other departures were also succesful.

I did not get any re-routing options and was told I can re-book or refund at their website. They did not have any available flights until after more than a week and therefore I am not able to get home for Easter. I cried all day as I am spending Easter alone now.

Am I eligible for compensation? Shall I challenge the airline that the weather conditions were not to be considered as extreme circumstances?

Answer 1

Oh yes, you have a right to compensation. EU law EC 261/2004 requires not only either the full ticket price or another fly to the same destination, but costs for lodging and a compensation of 200 - 600 € depending on the length of the flight (200 for < 1500 km, 400 for < 3000 km else 600).

The first thing you need to know: As from now you need to get all your correspondence in written form. Flight was cancelled ? Get a written confirmation. Everything you have, your ticket, your taxi, your lodgings, everything which costs need a voucher.

The responsibility for the compensation is always the airline. Not the travel agency or anyone else to blame.

The bad thing: Ryanair and easyjet are known to violate continously passenger rights. If you are a passenger of these airlines, you very likely will never fly with them again because they are fighting tooth and claw to rip you off. So the first thing you do is going to the counter and ask for written confirmation that the flight is cancelled. Then you are asking for another flight and compensation and tell them the nice law EC 261/2004.

Bad weather or technical problems are not sufficient reasons to decline the compensation (They will likely try that). If they are mulish, ask either for a written form that the airline believes that they do not need to pay compensation or ask another people to be witness that they refuse to accept your request. Note the name of the clerk.

Sorry, but politeness does not work with some airlines.

If they are still adamant, call the national enforcement bodies of the country you are currently in.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/passengers/air/doc/2004_261_national_enforcement_bodies.pdf