AirHelp, the world’s largest air passenger rights organisation, has launched its latest Air Passenger Rights Guide, which aims to help passengers understand the most important passenger rights worldwide.
With one in four flights delayed, AirHelp’s guide acts as a useful resource for passengers when facing flight delays or cancellations.
The new guide provides an overview of what passengers are entitled to when flights are delayed or cancelled – including food and drink, accommodation or an alternative flight, as well as financial compensation.
This year’s Air Passengers Rights Guide includes more laws, with the addition of Turkey, India and China, providing a breakdown of compensation available for flights within these countries, plus flights departing or stopping there.
For passengers in Ireland, the Europe EC 261 applies to all flights departing from an EU airport, plus flights landing in the EU on an EU airline.
Under this law, passengers are entitled to up to €600 when facing delays over three hours, cancellations or schedule changes less than 14 days before departure, denied boarding caused by overbooking, and missed connections causing three-hour delays upon arrival.
It’s important to note that passengers are not able to claim compensation when disruptions are caused by extraordinary circumstances.
In terms of care, Irish passengers are entitled to alternative flights or a full refund in all cases of denied boarding, cancellation or missed connection, as well as accommodation for overnight delays. Passengers must also be informed of their rights, with the ability to make two phone calls, fax messages or emails, and be given food or drink after a few hours. Furthermore, in the case of an airline downgrading passengers, they should be reimbursed up to 75% of the original ticket price.
A new addition to the 2023 Air Passengers Rights Guide is guidance on strikes, outlining that passengers are entitled to compensation when airlines are responsible for the disruptions. With a number of strikes taking place in European airports, passengers have the right to care, including food and drink or accommodation, as well as a replacement flight when theirs have been disrupted.
AirHelp’s guide also provides advice for passengers whose bags get lost or damaged when travelling.
Airlines are typically liable under the Montreal Convention, which covers luggage rights on international flights between 140 countries. Under this guidance, airlines must repair, replace, or pay for any damage to luggage or its contents, but air passengers must submit their claim within seven days of arrival.
For delayed luggage, passengers must submit claims within 21 days, and airlines must refund the cost of essential items until the bag is returned.
If a bag is declared lost, airlines must pay the value of everything they lost, and passengers are able to submit claims within two years.
“Our goal at AirHelp is not only to educate passengers about their rights and help them enforce them in the event of delays and cancellations. This guide is a resource for passengers to build an understanding of the regulations that protect all of us when we fly. They can differ depending on where in the world we’re travelling, so it’s important to know some of the important passenger rights worldwide, in case we face a flight delay or cancellation. Our goal is to ensure that passengers have an all-around satisfying flight experience,” said Rosa Garcia, Air Passenger Rights Advocate at AirHelp.
