Flights delayed or canceled by easyJet: Possible repairs (compensation)
Whatever the causes of the delay or cancellation of a flight, the British company is bound to respect certain obligations vis-à-vis travelers: information, care, and even compensation.
A European regulation guarantees basic rights to all passengers taking off from an airport located in the territory of a Member State, as well as to all those who land there as soon as the flight is operated by a European carrier (EC Regulation n ° 261/2004 of February 11, 2004).
Flight cancellation: What the carrier owes to its customers
When a flight is canceled, the airline which chartered this flight is required to offer its travelers either reimbursement of the full price of the ticket within a maximum of seven days, or re-routing to the final destination within conditions at least comparable to those provided for the initial flight (same class and same duration).
It is up to each passenger concerned to choose the option that best suits them, depending on their availability and desires. Any traveler whose flight has been canceled is also entitled to compensation. Its purpose is to repair the loss of time suffered. Its amount varies between 250 and 600 € depending on the distance of the canceled flight.
The amount of this compensation may be reduced by half when the traveler has chosen to board another flight whose landing time is not too far from the scheduled arrival time for his initial flight.
This compensation is not automatic and it is not due in certain circumstances. This is the case if the travelers have been informed of the cancellation of their flight at least fourteen days before their departure, or when the cancellation of the flight is due to extraordinary circumstances which the company cannot control .
Overbooking: Compensation is also required at easyJet
Some vacationers cannot board because the company has resorted to overbooking (also called overbooking).
This technique consists of selling more tickets than there are seats available on the plane, to compensate for last-minute defections. Passengers may be denied boarding on the day of departure due to a lack of available seats.
In this case, the airline first has an obligation to inquire with all passengers to find out if some are willing to give up their reservation. Passengers who agree to disembark from the aircraft have the choice between full refund of their ticket and re-routing.
They are also entitled to additional compensation of between € 250 and € 600 depending on the flight distance and the delays recorded before their re-routing.
At the same time, airlines like easyJet tend to offer additional benefits to all volunteers who give up their flight. Most often, this is an allowance, a “miles” gain or an additional voucher.
This is why, in the event of a ticket exchange, the passenger concerned should not hesitate to negotiate an upgrade which will allow him to travel more comfortably on another flight.
Late plane: Get compensated by your easyJet UK carrier
Until 2009, passengers whose flight was delayed could not claim any compensation. Airlines did not incur any costs by making travelers wait in the departure lounge for hours.
In a judgment of 19 November 2009, the Court of Justice of the European Union put an end to this inertia and ruled that passengers affected by a delay suffer damage similar to those whose flight has been canceled.
This means that they can claim the same compensation provided that they lose three hours or more compared to the duration initially planned. For example, if a Paris-Moscow flight (2,500 km) is delayed by four hours, passengers are entitled to compensation of € 400.
When the delay exceeds five hours, passengers who decide not to continue their journey are entitled to a refund of their ticket and a return flight to their original point of departure. An interesting solution for passengers leaving for the weekend, who have not yet taken off, and do not wish to have their stay cut by half a day.
The company must inform travelers regularly
In all cases, the airline company is required to inform passengers stranded on the ground of their situation. It must distribute messages at regular intervals relating to the duration of the delay or the reason for the cancellation.
And make passengers aware of their rights and the possibilities available to them (reimbursement, re-routing, etc.).
Travelers should therefore no longer be seen in the departure lounge, without any interlocutor or company representative to contact.
Finally, while waiting for a re-routing or in the event of a significant delay (at least two hours), passengers are entitled to a meal and refreshments depending on the waiting time), to hotel accommodation if the wait lasts at least one night or if the passenger must add one night to his stay, as well as their transport from the airport to the place of accommodation.
On site, the British air operator must allow passengers to make two phone calls or send two messages to inform their loved ones of their situation. Finally, and even in the event of major disruptions, priority is given to people with disabilities, as well as unaccompanied children.
Complaints to law firms
In the event of a dispute, you should send a request to online startups, which have considerable capacity to defend your rights. You should do the same if you are on a tour package, that is, a package tour.
Your request must be accompanied by all the supporting documents that you could have gathered: plane tickets, testimonials obtained from other passengers, invoices, etc.
If the company refuses to compensate you, you can contact the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC, Passenger Law Mission, Air Passenger Office, MDP / P2, 50 rue Henry-Farman, 75720 Paris Cedex 15) .
Legal intervention can help you find an amicable solution. You don’t risk anything because if you fail, you pay nothing.
The flight disruption is caused by the weather?
The Court of Justice of the European Union considers that the delay, or even the cancellation, of a flight does not give right to compensation when the air carrier able to prove that this malfunction is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond its control effective control and which could not have been avoided even if it had taken all reasonable measures.
It could be catastrophic weather conditions like a hurricane, a threat to internal security, or a strike by air traffic control technicians.
In general, a technical problem that arises on an aircraft such as a reactor failure does not constitute an extraordinary circumstance, unless it results from an event external to the normal exercise of the activity of the company, and that he escapes his mastery. This is the case of a hidden manufacturing defect which could affect the resistance of a part and, therefore, the safety of a flight.
The lump sum: How to calculate it and it depends on what exactly?
European regulations distinguish the geographic area of the flight to determine the amount of compensation in the event of cancellation. Otherwise, the value of the financial compensation depends on the distance of the flight, and the duration of the delay recorded on the route.