Air Algerie Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

Whenever flights get delayed or cancelled, it can be frustrating and inconvenient for passengers. However, the EU has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in these situations. Under EU261, if your flight is delayed or cancelled, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance.

Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004

European Union Regulation 261 is the regulation that covers air passengers’ rights. In particular, this regulation covers different situations, including flight cancellations, delays, rebooking, etc., and obligates airlines to handle individual cases with care and fairness. If the incident happens as a result of the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences has a right to get compensation. Moreover, passengers may be entitled to certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

The EU 261 contains rules concerning the process of compensation, including aid to people affected by issues with flights. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per person. This sum varies, based on your specific case.

Compensation for Air Algerie Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the flight cancellation. If the airline informs you less than fourteen days before your flight date and does not offer any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261, is obligated to compensate you compensation of 250 – 600 euros.

At the same time, if a passenger is provided with an alternative flight but arrives at his destination later than the original flight was supposed to, the passenger may also be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations according to the duration 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 Algerie Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is required to pay compensation. If the flight is delayed for 5 hours or more, the passenger can expect a ticket refund or an alternative flight to the final destination.

Furthermore, in such situations, the airline also must provide a passenger with beverages, some food, and accommodation. See key information 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 sets out common rules on compensation and assistance for travelers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.

The “Right to Care” under EU 261/2004 requires airlines to provide certain services and assistance 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

In situations where a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is helpful to know about upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In situations, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for instance, you booked Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you will not be charged additional fees for this service.

Regarding downgrading in class (if you had a Business class ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to obtain reimbursement. In this case, it is worth mentioning that the amount of compensation is entirely based on 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.

Consider that these rights apply to every flight 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 cases, when passengers won’t get compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Particularly, we talk about extraordinary circumstances that are beyond 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).

In addition, if the airline could hypothetically have done something to avoid problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you can claim compensation.

Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?

EU Regulation 261 applies to all flights departing from EU airports. 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 Algerie isn’t a European airline. Consequently, they are not obliged to pay compensation if their flights operate outside of the European Union. This is true even for 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 Algerie Compensation

Flight delay or cancellation 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 delay or cancellation should be aware of the process 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 handle the rest. We are well-versed in the EU laws well and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.

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