Air Transat Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

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

Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004

European Union Regulation 261 is the legislation that deals with the rights of air passengers. Specifically, this regulation covers diverse cases, such as rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and obligates airlines to resolve individual cases with fairness and care. If the incident happens as a result of 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

The EU 261 includes regulations concerning the compensation process, including assistance to travelers who suffered from air travel disruptions. In particular, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per person. This sum varies, according to your circumstances.

Compensation for Air Transat Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, travelers should be aware that the airline is required to notify them about the cancellation of their flight. If the airline informs you under fourteen days before your flight date and does not offer 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 offered 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 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 Transat Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is obligated 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, in such situations, 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 EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.

The “Right to Care” under EU261 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers affected by 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 place of accommodation
• Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes

Upgrading and Downgrading

When a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is good to know about upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In cases, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for example, you booked Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you will not have to pay extra for this service.

Regarding downgrading in class (if you had a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to receive reimbursement. Here, it’s important to note 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 cover 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 delayed or cancelled flights. Specifically, we talk about extraordinary circumstances that are not within 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 issues regarding 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 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 Transat isn’t 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 Transat Compensation

Flight cancellation or delay 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 claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:

1. Fill in this form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
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 secure your compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.

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