Refund and Compensation for Cancelled Flight
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where your flight has been cancelled, it’s important to know that as a passenger you have rights that protect you and guarantee a refund and/or compensation for a cancelled flight. On this page, you will find everything you need to know about how to handle this situation and understand how to assert your rights and obtain the refund and compensation you are entitled to.
Regulations that protect passengers in case of flight cancellation
The regulations that protect passengers in cases of cancelled flights, as well as overbooked flights and delayed flights, are:
- European Regulation No. 261 of 2004
- Montreal Convention of 28 May 1999
- Italian Navigation Code
ENAC, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, has published the Passenger Rights Charter which outlines all passenger rights, and the Rimborsoalvolo.it team works daily to uphold these rights on behalf of our clients.
When you can request a refund for a cancelled flight
A flight is considered cancelled when, despite a valid booking, the airline does not operate the scheduled route. In this case, the airline must:
-
rebook passengers, that is, offer a free alternative flight that allows them to reach their destination as quickly as possible
or
-
offer a refund for the cancelled flight equal to the full cost of the unused airline ticket
But that’s not all!
According to EU Regulation No. 261/2004, the airline must provide assistance to passengers in case of rebooking or cover the reimbursement of extra expenses incurred. Furthermore, depending on the circumstances, the passenger may also be entitled to compensation for the cancelled flight (also referred to as indemnity or pecuniary compensation) for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation.
Reimbursement of Extra Expenses Incurred Due to a Cancelled Flight
If the passenger is rebooked on an alternative flight, the airline, under Regulation No. 261/2004, must assist passengers (Articles 5 and 9), namely by providing:
- meals and refreshments according to the waiting time
- adequate hotel accommodation in case one or more overnight stays are required
- transport between the airport and the accommodation location and back
- two telephone calls or messages via telex, fax or email
If the airline does not provide these services, it must cover the reimbursement of all extra expenses incurred by the passenger (hotel for cancelled flight, meals, transport, etc.), as long as they are properly documented — so ALWAYS KEEP ALL RECEIPTS!
Compensation for Cancelled Flight
According to Article 7 of EU Regulation No. 261/2004, titled “Right to Compensation,” in the event of cancellation or delay (as per Article 5 of the Regulation), “passengers shall receive financial compensation of:
- €250 for all flights of 1,500 km or less
- €400 for all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and for other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km
- €600 for all other flights not falling under the above categories.
However, it is important to know exactly when the airline notified passengers of the flight cancellation or the reasons behind the cancellation, as this may affect whether passengers are entitled to compensation.
When you are not entitled to a refund for a cancelled flight
A passenger is not entitled to receive a refund for a cancelled flight if:
- The reasons for the flight cancellation are not directly attributable to the airline, such as air traffic control restrictions, adverse weather conditions, civil unrest, terrorist threats and security concerns, or strikes (note: not all strikes are considered extraordinary circumstances — if the flight was cancelled due to a strike by the airline’s own staff, the cause is attributable to the airline and the passenger is therefore entitled to compensation)
-
The airline informed passengers:
- more than two weeks in advance;
- between two weeks and seven days prior to departure and offered an alternative flight departing no more than two hours before the original time and arriving at the final destination no more than four hours after the originally scheduled time;
- less than seven days in advance and offered an alternative flight departing no more than one hour before the originally scheduled time and arriving at the final destination no more than two hours after the originally scheduled time.
How to request compensation for a cancelled flight?
Now that you are aware of all the rights you are entitled to in case of a cancelled flight, we can help you proceed with your compensation claim. In fact, passengers often limit themselves to requesting a simple TICKET REFUND by filling out the forms on the airline’s official website, without going further to claim the EXTRA EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT or the COMPENSATION, mostly because they are unaware of their rights or are told that the cancellation was due to force majeure.
Now that you know your rights, to proceed with your compensation request for a cancelled flight, you only need to keep your ticket (or online booking confirmation), boarding pass, and receipts for any extra expenses incurred and then either file a claim directly with the airline or contact RimborsoAlVolo for assistance
How can we help you get a refund for cancelled flights
At Rimborsoalvolo.it, to help you obtain the compensation you’re entitled to in case of a cancelled flight, we handle the following:
- managing the claim on behalf of the passenger from start to finish,
- carrying out all checks on the airline’s statements regarding any exceptional circumstances to determine whether the passenger is still entitled to compensation
- providing the passenger with the best possible legal assistance
By choosing the Rimborso al Volo team to manage your refund and/or compensation request, you can be sure that the process will be faster than handling the claim on your own. If an amicable settlement cannot be reached with the airline and legal action is required, we will rely on experienced legal professionals who work with us and will pursue your case until your rights are fully enforced.
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