Whenever flights are delayed or cancelled, it can be frustrating and inconvenient for passengers. However, the European Union has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in such situations. According to EU261, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance.
Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004
EU Regulation 261 is the regulation that covers air passengers’ rights. Specifically, this legislation covers diverse cases, such as delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and obligates airlines to handle individual cases with fairness and care. If the incident happens because of the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences is entitled to get compensation. Furthermore, passengers may be entitled to certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.
Right to Compensation
European Union Regulation 261 includes rules concerning the compensation process, including assistance to people who suffered from flight problems. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, depending on your specific case.
Compensation for Air Canada Flight Cancellation
First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the cancellation of their flight. If the airline notifies you under fourteen days before the date of your flight and does not provide any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261 regulation, must pay you compensation of 250 – 600 euros.
At the same time, if a passenger is provided with an alternative flight but reaches his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger could be entitled to compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations based on the length of the delay:
| Under 2 hours | 2-3 hours | 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Never arrived | Distance |
| €125 | €250 | €250 | €250 | €250 | All flights 1,500 km or less |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Internal EU flights over 1,500 km |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km |
| €300 | €300 | €300 | €600 | €600 | Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km |
Compensation for Air Canada Flight Delay
When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is obligated to provide compensation. If the flight is delayed for 5 hours or more, the passenger may receive a ticket refund or another flight to the final destination.
Furthermore, in such situations, the airline also must provide a passenger with food, drinks, and accommodation. See essential details about compensation in the table below:
| Less than 3 hours | Between 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Distance |
| €0 | €250 | €250 | All flights up to 1500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All intra-EU flights over 3500 km |
| €0 | €300 | €600 | All non-EU flights over 3500 km |
Right to Care
Right to Care pertains to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which establishes common rules on assistance and compensation for travelers in the event of long delays, denied boarding, or flight cancellations.
The “Right to Care” under EU 261/2004 obliges airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers affected by significant delays or cancellations. These include:
- Snacks and drinks appropriate for the waiting time
- Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay becomes necessary
- Transport between the airport and the place of accommodation
- Emails or faxes and two free phone calls
Upgrading and Downgrading
When a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is good to know about upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.
In situations, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for instance, you had Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you won’t be charged extra for this service.
Regarding downgrading in class (if you had a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you have a right to receive reimbursement. In this case, it is worth mentioning that the amount of compensation is determined by the distance of a flight:
- 30% of the flight tickets cost for a 1,500 km distance or less;
- 50% of the flight tickets cost (specifically, for intra-EU flights that are over 1,500 km and all other flights with a 1,500 km and 3,500 km distance;
- 75% of the ticket price for flights with a 3,500+ km distance.
Keep in mind that these rights apply to all flights within the European Union, as well as flights departing from or arriving in the European Union operated by airlines based in the EU.
When Are You Not Entitled to Compensation?
Unfortunately, there are situations, when passengers won’t get compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Particularly, we talk about extraordinary circumstances that are outside of the airline’s control. A few examples are as follows:
- Bad weather conditions and natural disasters;
- Political circumstances (related security risks, terrorist attacks);
- A collision of the aircraft and foreign objects (birds, for instance);
- Unruly or very ill passengers;
- Strikes (that are not caused by the airline’s crew).
Moreover, if the airline might have been able to do something to avoid issues regarding the flight and failed to handle the situation, you can claim compensation.
Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?
EU Regulation 261 covers all flights departing from airports in the EU. This regulation also extends to flights arriving in the EU if the airline is based in the EU. This includes airlines from EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
Nevertheless, Air Canada is not a European airline. Consequently, they aren’t required to pay compensation if their flights operate outside of the European Union. This applies even to their flights to the European Union if they start outside the EU.
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing from the EU airports | ✔️ Yes |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ❌ No |
How to Claim Air Canada Compensation
Flight cancellation or delay is an unpleasant situation that can not only upset you but also ruin all your travel plans. Those who are unlucky enough to face a flight cancellation or delay should know exactly how to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:
- Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will manage the process. We know the EU laws thoroughly and will make every effort to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.
Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations
Was your flight delayed or cancelled without a valid reason? Check our table for the latest flight delays and cancellations. Assess your right to compensation using our claim checker, and let us protect your rights and pursue compensation for you.
Did not find your flight in our table? Try our compensation form, and we will check it for you.
| Date | Airline (Flight number) | Route | Status | Your compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
20.06.202517:40 | Air Canada 6261 | Tokyo (HND) Miyazaki (KMI) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:15 | Air Canada 3196 | Brussels (BRU) Newark (EWR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:00 | Air Canada 6365 | Brussels (BRU) Nice (NCE) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202510:55 | Air Canada 6332 | Brussels (BRU) Venice (VCE) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202510:50 | Air Canada 6352 | Brussels (BRU) Rome (LIN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202510:35 | Air Canada 7350 | Munich (MUC) Bari (BRI) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202510:25 | Air Canada 6325 | Brussels (BRU) Nairobi (NBO) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:50 | Air Canada 6337 | Brussels (BRU) London (LHR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:45 | Air Canada 6484 | Brussels (BRU) Riga (RIX) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:40 | Air Canada 6785 | Brussels (BRU) Zurich (ZRH) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:30 | Air Canada 6319 | Brussels (BRU) Copenhagen (CPH) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:20 | Air Canada 2992 | Brussels (BRU) Zagreb (ZAG) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:20 | Air Canada 6334 | Brussels (BRU) Geneva (GVA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:20 | Air Canada 7571 | Islamabad (ISB) Dubai (DXB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:00 | Air Canada 7579 | Lahore (LHE) Dubai (DXB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:00 | Air Canada 6367 | Frankfurt (FRA) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202508:55 | Air Canada 9327 | Brussels (BRU) Munich (MUC) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202508:30 | Air Canada 9323 | Brussels (BRU) Frankfurt (FRA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:45 | Air Canada 6343 | London (LHR) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:30 | Air Canada 9300 | Frankfurt (FRA) Dusseldorf (DUS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:25 | Air Canada 6794 | Zurich (ZRH) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:05 | Air Canada 6355 | Lyon (LYS) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | Air Canada 6341 | Gothenburg (GOT) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202506:55 | Air Canada 6323 | Venice (VCE) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202506:50 | Air Canada 6330 | London (LHR) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202506:50 | Air Canada 2993 | Zagreb (ZAG) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202506:45 | Air Canada 6377 | Oslo (OSL) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202506:35 | Air Canada 6313 | Budapest (BUD) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202503:25 | Air Canada 7617 | Lahore (LHE) Dubai (DXB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202501:25 | Air Canada 57 | Dubai (DXB) Toronto (YYZ) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:50 | Air Canada 7578 | Dubai (DXB) Lahore (LHE) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:40 | Air Canada 4793 | Chicago (IAH) Brownsville (BRO) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:25 | Air Canada 6329 | Kinshasa (FIH) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:00 | Air Canada 7610 | Dubai (DXB) Singapore (SIN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:55 | Air Canada 8698 | Toronto (YYZ) Boston (BOS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:35 | Air Canada 4766 | Denver (DEN) San Antonio (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:30 | Air Canada 8614 | Montreal (YUL) Boston (BOS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:15 | Air Canada 2663 | Lisbon (LIS) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:10 | Air Canada 6335 | Kigali (KGL) Entebbe (EBB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:42 | Air Canada 3594 | Charlotte (CLT) New York (IAD) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:07 | Air Canada 3702 | Newark (EWR) Aguadilla (BQN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:00 | Air Canada 6263 | Tokyo (HND) Tokyo (CTS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:00 | Air Canada 6242 | Tokyo (HND) Tokyo (ITM) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:20 | Air Canada 4872 | (ORD) Burlington (BTV) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:10 | Air Canada 6265 | Tokyo (HND) Hiroshima (HIJ) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:00 | Air Canada 6267 | Tokyo (HND) Tokyo (ITM) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:00 | Air Canada 6229 | Tokyo (HND) Fukuoka (FUK) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:00 | Air Canada 6225 | Tokyo (HND) Tokyo (CTS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202517:55 | Air Canada 3964 | (ORD) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202517:50 | Air Canada 3824 | New York (IAD) San Antonio (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202517:10 | Air Canada 3696 | Newark (EWR) Berlin (BER) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:43 | Air Canada 4347 | San Francisco (SFO) San Antonio (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:40 | Air Canada 8298 | Vancouver (YVR) Cranbrook (YXC) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:15 | Air Canada 2842 | High Level (YOJ) Edmonton (YEG) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:10 | Air Canada 8461 | Vancouver (YVR) Smithers (YYD) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:00 | Air Canada 9530 | Munich (MUC) Berlin (BER) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202515:15 | Air Canada 8748 | Charlotte (CLT) Toronto (YYZ) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Air Canada 9537 | Berlin (BER) Frankfurt (FRA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Air Canada 9038 | Frankfurt (FRA) Berlin (BER) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:25 | Air Canada 6264 | Fukuoka (FUK) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:15 | Air Canada 2818 | Vancouver (YVR) Quesnel (YQZ) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:15 | Air Canada 6270 | Kagoshima (KOJ) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:00 | Air Canada 6237 | Okinawa (OKA) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:45 | Air Canada 9050 | Berlin (BER) Frankfurt (FRA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:45 | Air Canada 8805 | Seattle (SEA) Vancouver (YVR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:33 | Air Canada 3550 | Denver (DEN) Tulsa (TUL) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:30 | Air Canada 6258 | Tokyo (CTS) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:25 | Air Canada 9490 | Krakow (KRK) Munich (MUC) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:15 | Air Canada 6260 | Fukuoka (FUK) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202513:00 | Air Canada 6241 | Tokyo (ITM) Tokyo (HND) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202512:50 | Air Canada 9016 | Berlin (BER) Munich (MUC) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202512:40 | Air Canada 6766 | Zurich (ZRH) Berlin (BER) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202512:25 | Air Canada 6852 | Zurich (ZRH) Budapest (BUD) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202512:20 | Air Canada 7366 | Frankfurt (FRA) Turin (TRN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202512:00 | Air Canada 6350 | Brussels (BRU) Malaga (AGP) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202511:50 | Air Canada 6318 | Brussels (BRU) Douala (DLA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202511:50 | Air Canada 2678 | Brussels (BRU) Lisbon (LIS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202511:30 | Air Canada 6314 | Brussels (BRU) Cotonou (COO) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202511:15 | Air Canada 3196 | Brussels (BRU) Newark (EWR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202511:00 | Air Canada 6365 | Brussels (BRU) Nice (NCE) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202510:50 | Air Canada 6352 | Brussels (BRU) Rome (LIN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202510:45 | Air Canada 9463 | Frankfurt (FRA) Seattle (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202510:30 | Air Canada 6312 | Brussels (BRU) Porto (OPO) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202509:45 | Air Canada 6822 | Zurich (ZRH) Mumbai (BOM) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202509:30 | Air Canada 6831 | Budapest (BUD) Zurich (ZRH) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202508:55 | Air Canada 9327 | Brussels (BRU) Munich (MUC) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202508:30 | Air Canada 541 | Toronto (YYZ) Seattle (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202508:30 | Air Canada 9323 | Brussels (BRU) Frankfurt (FRA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202507:15 | Air Canada 6810 | Berlin (BER) Zurich (ZRH) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202506:00 | Air Canada 8689 | Boston (BOS) Toronto (YYZ) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
19.06.202506:00 | Air Canada 5148 | Newark (EWR) West Palm Beach (PBI) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202504:40 | Air Canada 7612 | Muscat (MCT) Dubai (DXB) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
19.06.202503:25 | Air Canada 7617 | Lahore (LHE) Dubai (DXB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:55 | Air Canada 9777 | Hong Kong (HKG) Manila (MNL) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:25 | Air Canada 6329 | Kinshasa (FIH) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:00 | Air Canada 6353 | Ouagadougou (OUA) Brussels (BRU) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202520:55 | Air Canada 2637 | Lisbon (LIS) (DSS) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202520:05 | Air Canada 3260 | Chicago (IAH) Mobile (MOB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202519:40 | Air Canada 3096 | (ORD) Louisville (SDF) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202519:07 | Air Canada 3702 | Newark (EWR) Aguadilla (BQN) | delayed | Claim Refund |
