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 EU261/2004, if your flight is delayed or cancelled, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance.
Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004
The EU 261 is the regulation that deals with air passengers’ rights. Specifically, this regulation covers diverse cases, including rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and requires airlines to handle individual cases with fairness and care. If the incident happens because of the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences has a right to obtain compensation. Moreover, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.
Right to Compensation
The EU 261 includes regulations regarding the compensation process, including assistance to people who suffered from issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum varies, based on your specific case.
Compensation for Air Canada Rouge Flight Cancellation
First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the flight cancellation. If the airline notifies you less than fourteen days before your scheduled departure 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 arrives at his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger might be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations depending on 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 Canada Rouge Flight Delay
When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is obligated to pay compensation. If the flight is delayed for five or more hours, the passenger can expect 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 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 relates to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of flight cancellations, long delays, or denied boarding.
The “Right to Care” under EU 261 obliges airlines to provide certain services and assistance 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
- Emails or faxes and two free phone calls
Upgrading and Downgrading
When a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is good to understand 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 be charged additional fees for this service.
Regarding downgrading in class (if you had a Business class ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you can receive reimbursement. Here, 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.
Be aware that these rights apply to any flights inside 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 delayed or cancelled flights. Specifically, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the airline’s control. Some of the 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 might have been able to do 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 261 covers all flights departing from European Union airports. It also covers flights arriving in the EU if the airline originates in the EU. This includes airlines from EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
Nevertheless, Air Canada Rouge isn’t a European airline. Therefore, they are not obliged 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 Rouge 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 understand the steps to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:
- Fill in this form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. 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.