Air Mauritius Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

Whenever flights are 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 cancelled or delayed, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance.

Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004

The EU 261 is the legislation that deals with air passengers’ rights. More precisely, this regulation covers different situations, including delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and requires 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 is entitled to obtain compensation. In addition, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

European Union Regulation 261 includes rules regarding the compensation process, including assistance to people experiencing flight problems. In particular, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, based on your specific case.

Compensation for Air Mauritius Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, passengers should be aware that the airline is required to notify them about the flight cancellation. If the airline notifies you under fourteen days before your flight date and does not offer any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261/2004, is obligated to compensate you compensation of 250 – 600 euros.

At the same time, if a passenger is offered an alternative flight but reaches his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger may also be entitled to 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 Mauritius Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is obligated to pay compensation. If the flight is delayed for 5 hours or more, the passenger may receive 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 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 European Union Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on assistance and compensation to passengers in cases of flight cancellations, long delays, or denied boarding.

The “Right to Care” under EU 261 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers facing 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 gets an alternative flight, it is good to understand upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In situations, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for example, you booked 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 ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to receive reimbursement. In this case, 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.

Be aware that these rights cover every flight within the European Union, as well as flights departing from or arriving in the European Union by airlines based in the EU.

When Are You Not Entitled to Compensation?

Unfortunately, there are cases, when passengers won’t get compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Specifically, we talk about 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).

In addition, if the airline potentially could have done something to avoid 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 applies to all flights departing from airports in the EU. This regulation also extends to 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.

However, Air Mauritius is not a European airline. Therefore, 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 Mauritius Compensation

Flight cancellation or delay can be a frustrating experience that can not only upset you but also ruin all your travel plans. Passengers who unfortunately encounter a flight cancellation or delay should understand the steps to seek compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:

1. Complete this form. You’ll need to provide details including 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 know the EU laws thoroughly and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.

Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations