Airline passenger rights

To ensure that air passengers are treated correctly, the European Union grants a number of rights to travelers. Mainport Travel Management gives you below here an explanation of your rights as a passenger, and what you can do if you are faced with a problem regarding denied boarding, cancellations, delays, baggage, injury or death.

What can you do?

If you are faced with denied boarding, cancellation, long-term delay, baggage problems or accidents, there are the following options:

Ask the airline representative to do something about your problem immediately. You submit a complaint or claim to the relevant airline.
If you have not received what you are entitled to, Europe Direct can help you further with advice or refer you to relevant authorities that provide advice or assistance. Call Europe Direct for free on 00 800 6789 1011 or send an email to mail@europe-direct.cec.eu.int.
In the event of problems with your cancellation, EUClaim can relieve you of your damage claim. This company processes the claim for you on the basis of no-cure-no-pay (with deduction of administration costs). Visit www.euclaim.com for more information or to submit a claim.

What are your rights?

1. Denied boarding
In the event of denied boarding, the airline must pay you a financial compensation and provide assistance. On the condition that you check in on time. This applies to any flight from an EU airport or an airport outside the EU to an EU airport if it concerns a flight with an EU airline. If there are not enough seats available on a certain flight, the airline must first ask if passengers want to give up their seats in exchange for certain benefits. These benefits are either reimbursing the ticket or offering alternative transport to the final destination.

If you do not want to voluntarily give up your seat, the airline must pay you compensation:

€ 250 for flights of 1,500 km or less
€ 400 for flights longer than 1,500 km within the EU or all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
€ 600 for flights longer than 3,500 km outside the EU. These reimbursements will be halved if your delay is less than 2, 3 or 4 hours respectively.

In addition, the airline must:

either refund your ticket or offer alternative transport to your final destination;
provide meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation when necessary (including transfers) and communication facilities.

2. Cancellation
Upon cancellation, the airline must offer you financial compensation and assistance. On the condition that you check in on time. This applies to any flight from an EU airport or from an airport outside the EU to an EU airport if it concerns a flight with an EU airline. In the event of a cancellation of your flight, the airline must either refund your ticket or offer alternative transportation to your final destination. As well as the provision of meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation when necessary (including transfers) and communication facilities. In addition, the airline must pay you the same fees as stated above in the case of denied boarding.

3. Long delays
You are entitled to immediate assistance if you check in on time for any flight from an EU airport or from an airport outside the EU to an EU airport.

If it concerns a flight with an EU airline and the airline expects a delay:

2 hours or more for flights of 1,500 kilometers or less
3 hours or more for flights longer than 1,500 km within the EU and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
4 hours or more for flights over 3 500 km outside the EU, the airline must give you meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation when necessary (including transfers) and communication facilities.
In the event of a delay of 5 hours or more, the airline must also offer to refund your ticket.

Claims afterwards
When an EU airline, wherever in the world, is responsible for the delay of your flight, you can submit a claim up to € 4,800 *.

4. Luggage
You can file a claim for damages of up to € 1,100 * if your luggage has been destroyed, damaged, lost or delayed during a flight from an EU airline anywhere in the world. Claims for checked luggage must be submitted within 7 days after the luggage has been returned. In the case of baggage delays, the claims must be submitted within 21 days after the return of the luggage.

5. Injuries and death as a result of accidents
You can file in a claim for injury or death as a result of an accident with a flight from an EU airline anywhere in the world. You are entitled to an advance * to cover your immediate economic needs.

* For the exact amounts you can contact Europe Direct on telephone number 00 800 6789 1011 or by e-mail: mail@europe-direct.cec.eu.int.

If legal action is taken or claims are initiated as a result of a dispute, this should only be done on the basis of the relevant legislative documents;

Compensation and assistance to travelers in the event of denied boarding and cancellation or long delay of flights, Regulation (EG) no. 261/2004, PB L 46 of 17.2.2004.
Air carrier liability, Regulation (EC) no. 889/2002 amending Regulation (EG) no. 2027/97, PB L 140 of 30.5.2002.
For more information, also visit: www.rechtenvanvliegtuigpassagiers.nl