Compensation for missed connecting flight
Rights in the event of a missed connecting flight
A missed connection is a situation where a passenger misses one or more flights during a journey due to the delay or cancellation of one or more previous services.
However, there are also some things you can do beforehand to prevent such an unpleasant situation. For example, make sure you leave enough time between flights, especially if you have to go through customs or security again in between.
Rights in case of a missed connecting flight
Missing a connecting flight is an unpleasant experience for any passenger on a longer journey. But if you have travelled to or from Europe, or had a connecting flight at any European airport, you may benefit from the protection of EU Regulation EC 261. This gives you the right to claim compensation of up to €600 for any flight that caused a delay at your final destination.
• You are entitled to compensation if you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more late.
• The amount of compensation varies between €250 and €600 per passenger
• From 2 hours waiting at the airport, the airline should provide you with food and refreshments
• Hotel accommodation if your flight is delayed overnight
The first steps towards compensation
• Ask the airline to tell you the cause of the delay when you are at the airport
• Collect relevant documents such as receipts and vouchers for expenses incurred by the delay
• Use our application to claim compensation
Compensation for missed connecting flight
There have been a number of court rulings that have strengthened passenger rights. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg and the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) have both issued favourable rulings, which state: passengers can also receive compensation for long delays affecting multi-stage flights. For this to apply, the flight plan must be in one booking.
Passengers who miss a connecting flight due to an airline’s organisational shortcomings and experience delays of more than 3 hours will be able to claim compensation of between €250 and €600. The amount of compensation available depends on the distance of the entire journey from the departure airport to the final destination.
– Short distances – up to 1500 km – Passengers receive compensation of €250
– Medium distances – Between 1500 km and 3500 km – Passengers are compensated EUR 400
– Long distances – over 3500 km – Passengers are compensated EUR 600
Note: the cost of the ticket is irrelevant to the total amount of compensation and as such you will be able to claim for flights with low-cost airlines. It is also possible to make claims for flights up to 3 years. However, for your claim to be eligible for compensation, the flight must depart from the EU or if it lands in the EU, the airline must be based in the EU.
| Short distance up to 1500 km | Average distance up to 3500 km | Distance longer than 3500 km |
|---|---|---|
| Bucharest- Wien | Bucharest- Rome | Bucharest- Montreal |
| 250 € | 400€ | 600 € |
In the case of connecting flights, distance and delay time are measured at the final destination airport from the original departure airport.
IMPORTANT
Even if vouchers are offered by the airline for drinks and meals, you are still eligible for the full amount of compensation.
Compensation procedure
The first thing to do is to have confirmation that you are indeed eligible for compensation. This is not a simple process: getting access to flight databases, comparing your situation with other similar cases, checking whether European Regulation 261/2004 or other international regulations applicable to air transport apply to you.
In fact, for a person without aviation expertise and the necessary technological means, this can prove to be very complicated.
However, the simple alternative is to claim compensation with DELAY.AERO. To do this, simply enter your flight details into the “GET COMPENSATION” application on our website for free. The DELAY.AERO team will check the details entered and determine whether you are entitled to make a claim against the airline. From then on, DELAY.AERO takes over the case and you are notified when the airline grants you compensation. The DELAY.AERO tool analyses hundreds of thousands of flights, has access to a wealth of meteorological data and is able to check whether your claim can be settled under EU law or other legal provisions applicable to your case.
The verification of the eligibility of your request is carried out free of charge
Our network of experts and our experience in the aviation sector, as well as the partnerships we have, allow us to negotiate with airlines on an equal footing. In 98% of open cases, our clients have won the case and received compensation/refunds. Regardless of the outcome, we take all the financial risk. If we are unsuccessful in your case, for whatever reason, we alone bear the costs. When we win, we receive a service fee according to the Price List from the amount recovered. This protects you, the client, from any lost expenses and investment.
Airport charges in the event of a missed connecting flight
If you have experienced a long delay in departure, you are entitled to more compensation, regardless of whether the airline is responsible for the delay or not.
Below, you can see your rights, based on the length of the delay and the distance of your flight:
– Short distance – up to 1500 km: delayed departure over 2 hours – free food and drinks and 2 phone calls, emails or faxes
– Medium distance – between 1500 and 3500 km: delayed departure over 3 hours – free food and drinks, and 2 phone calls, e-mails or faxes
– Long distance – Over 3500 km: delayed departure over 4 hours – free food and drinks and 2 phone calls, e-mails or faxes
If your flight is delayed for more than 5 hours due to missed connection
If your flight is delayed for more than 5 hours, you can cancel your flight and the airline will be obliged to refund your ticket price. Alternatively, you have the right to ask the airline to organise the fastest possible alternative form of transport. The airline may also transfer you back to your original point of departure, for example, if you missed a business meeting because of a missed connecting flight, you have the right to get a transfer back to your original point of departure.
If your flight is delayed until the next day because of a missed connection
If your departure is delayed until the next day, you can take advantage of one night’s accommodation and return transport from the airport. Airlines usually organise the overnight stay and transfers themselves and inform you of the planned arrangements. Before you decide to book anything, it is always best to check directly with the airline.
The verification of the eligibility of your request is carried out free of charge
Our network of experts and our experience in the aviation sector, as well as the partnerships we have, allow us to negotiate with airlines on an equal footing. In 98% of open cases, our clients have won the case and received compensation/refunds. Regardless of the outcome, we take all the financial risk. If we are unsuccessful in your case, for whatever reason, we alone bear the costs. When we win, we receive a service fee according to the Price List from the amount recovered. This protects you, as the client, from any lost expenses and investment.