Air Canada Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

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:

1. Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
2. 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.

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