Delays, cancellation of Ethiopian Airlines planes, how to be compensated?
Whatever the reason, if the flight is delayed or canceled, passengers must be compensated or their tickets exchanged.
Your flight is canceled by Ethiopian Airlines
the airline has two choices: redirect you on another flight under comparable transport conditions OR, failing that, refund your ticket within 7 days. If re-routing is possible, depending on the waiting time, it must pay for catering, refreshments and two telephone calls or two electronic messages as well as accommodation.
In addition, there is a fixed compensation of 250 euros (125 euros the wait does not exceed two hours) for flights of less than 1,500 kilometers, 400 euros (200 euros if the wait does not exceed 3 hours) for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, 600 euros (300 euros if waiting less than 4 hours) for flights greater than 3,500 km. Please note that compensation is not due in the event of cancellation or delay due to extraordinary circumstances (strike by air traffic controllers excluding company personnel, storm, volcanic eruption etc.)
If you are the one canceling, the airline is not obliged to take back your ticket or make arrangements, or at your expense. Play your cancellation insurance, failing that know that any payment by credit card entitles you to this insurance.
Your flight is delayed
the airline must assist you (catering, refreshments, accommodation, right to two telephone calls or two electronic messages. By delay should be understood 2 hours for flights up to 1,500 km, 3 hours for those between 1,500 and 3 500 km and 4 hours beyond.
For delays of 5 hours or more, the passenger has the right to continue, postpone or cancel his trip. In the latter case, the ticket must be refunded and if it is a connecting flight, the return must be paid for.
In all cases, except in extraordinary circumstances, the passenger is entitled to compensation:
– Cancellation: be informed 14 days before the flight,
– Only 22% of respondents know that air passengers must be informed 14 days before the flight in the event of cancellation, or benefit from rapid re-routing. If this is not the case, they are then entitled to make a claim for compensation in the amount of 250 to 600 € per person (the amounts of compensation are defined by article 7 of the European regulation concerning rights air passengers).
Up to 5 years to claim compensation
Some 60% of French people surveyed by Voyages Pirates think they have only one year to claim compensation in the event of cancellation or delay. In reality, this period is much longer: it is possible to make a claim for compensation up to 5 years after the cancellation or delay of the flight in question. Only 7% of those surveyed were aware of this rule.
A snack and water in case of significant delay
If a short-haul flight is delayed by two hours or more, the airline company must provide drinks and snacks to impacted travelers. 72% of French people were unaware of it, reports the study carried out by Voyages Pirates and Flightright. If the cancellation or delay requires it, the carrier is also obliged to provide free accommodation for passengers at the hotel and to ensure their transfer.
To which flights does European law apply?
– If the flight takes place inside the EU and is operated by an airline established in the EU or outside the EU
– If the flight arrives in the EU from a non-EU country and is operated by an EU airline
– If the flight leaves from an airport located in the EU to a country outside the EU and is provided by an airline established in the EU or outside the EU (such as Ethiopian Airlines).
– If the passenger has not already benefited from services (compensation, re-routing or assistance from the airline), in accordance with the applicable legislation of a non-EU country, for problems related to a flight during the trip concerned.
Norway, Switzerland and Iceland also apply these regulations, as do the French overseas departments and regions.