Whenever flights are cancelled or delayed, it can be annoying and inconvenient for passengers. However, the European Union has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in these situations. According to EU261/2004, 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. More precisely, this regulation covers diverse cases, such as rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and obligates airlines to resolve individual cases with care and fairness. If the incident happens due to the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences has a right to get compensation. Moreover, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article. Right to Compensation EU Regulation 261 includes regulations regarding the compensation process, including assistance for passengers who suffered from issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can be eligible for is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, according to your circumstances. Compensation for Air Cairo Flight Cancellation First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the flight cancellation. If the airline informs you under fourteen days before the date of your flight and does not offer any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261/2004, 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 original flight was supposed to, the passenger may also be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations according to the length of the delay: Under 2 hours2-3 hours3-4 hoursOver 4 hoursNever arrivedDistance€125€250€250€250€250All flights 1,500 km or less€200€200€400€400€400Internal EU flights over 1,500 km€200€200€400€400€400Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km€300€300€300€600€600Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km Compensation for Air Cairo Flight Delay When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is required to provide compensation. If the flight is delayed for 5 hours or more, the passenger is entitled to a ticket refund or an alternative flight to the final destination. Furthermore, this is the case when the airline must also provide a passenger with refreshments, meals, and accommodation. See key information about compensation in the table below: Less than 3 hoursBetween 3-4 hoursOver 4 hoursDistance€0€250€250All flights up to 1500 km€0€400€400All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km€0€400€400All intra-EU flights over 3500 km€0€300€600All non-EU flights over 3500 km Right to Care Right to Care pertains to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which establishes common rules on assistance and compensation for travelers in cases 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 experiencing significant delays or cancellations. These include: Meals and beverages appropriate for the waiting time Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay becomes necessary Transport between the airport and the hotel Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes Upgrading and Downgrading When a passenger receives an alternative flight, it is helpful to be aware of upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class. In cases, when the airline provides you with a higher class (for instance, you had Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you won’t have to pay additional fees for this upgrade. Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you have a right to obtain reimbursement. Here, you should be aware 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. Keep in mind that these rights cover 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 situations, when passengers aren’t eligible for compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Particularly, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are not within 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). Furthermore, if the airline could hypothetically have done something to prevent problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you might be entitled to compensation. Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004? EU Regulation 261 covers all flights departing from European Union 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. However, Air Cairo is not a European airline. Consequently, they don’t have 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. ItineraryCovered by EU 261Flights departing from the EU airports✔️ YesFlights arriving at the EU airports❌ No How to Claim Air Cairo Compensation Flight delay or cancellation can be a frustrating experience 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 be aware of the process to seek compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps: Complete this 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 take over. We are well-versed in the EU laws comprehensively and will strive to get you your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.