Flight delay with South African Airways: what to do in this situation?
Your South African airline has still not arrived at your destination airport. Were you supposed to leave a few hours ago? Do not panic, the first point to clarify, is to know under which regulation you are.
Do you have the right to compensation for delay?
To be eligible for compensation, the delay must be greater than three hours from the time of arrival of the aircraft in front of the departure gate and the opening of its doors. Situations known as “extraordinary circumstances” are not subject to compensation. For example, bad weather, political instability or an act of terrorism.
Depending on the flight distance and the waiting time, the amount received varies. You can expect to get up to € 600. For flights of less than 1500 km, you will receive € 250 in case of delay. Conversely, if the flight is greater than 1,500 km, while being within the European Union, the compensation is € 400. In the case of a distance greater than 3500 km, if your plane is between three and four hours late, you will get € 300. And if the delay is more than four hours or the plane never arrives, the compensation is € 600.
The rights of a passenger whose flight is delayed
Without forgetting that in addition to compensation, passengers whose flight is delayed have other rights which are included in European standard CE 261. If the delay is more than five hours, you can request a full refund or partially. And if necessary, you can also get a plane ticket to your home airport.
In the event of a delay caused on a South African Airways flight, each passenger also has the right to a refreshment and a meal as well as two telephone calls, fax or emails. If your next flight is scheduled for the next day, the African airline must offer you one night’s accommodation as well as transportation between your accommodation and the airport.
Please note if your airline gives you a ticket on another flight and you are upgraded, it is not at your expense. Similarly, if the travel category of your new ticket is lower than the original, you can request a refund of 30 to 75% of the ticket amount.
How to get compensation?
Regarding compensation procedures, you can decide to take care of the procedure yourself or call on an agency specializing in administrative procedures and negotiations with airlines, which manages your compensation for delayed flight from a destination of the European Union. Please keep your boarding pass and any other document containing your booking confirmation number. Also, do not hesitate to ask the staff at El Prat de Llobregat Airport. This allows you to be more precise and then write your claim for compensation for your delayed flights to Barcelona, which must also contain the time of arrival of your plane, and photos, including screens of the airport.
Remember, do not accept or sign an offer or compensation, as this may reduce your rights to receive compensation. Also remember to keep invoices of your costs during the waiting time, you may be entitled to a refund. Depending on the location of the airline’s headquarters and the competent court, the maximum compensation claim period may vary.