AirAsia Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

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

Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004

The EU 261 is the legislation that covers air passengers’ rights. More precisely, this law covers diverse cases, including delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and requires airlines to resolve individual cases with fairness and care. If the situation occurs due to the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences is entitled to get compensation. Furthermore, passengers may be entitled to certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

The EU 261 encompasses rules concerning the compensation process, including aid for passengers who suffered from flight problems. Specifically, 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 AirAsia Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, passengers should be aware that the airline is required to notify them about the cancellation of their flight. 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, 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 original flight was supposed to, the passenger might be entitled to compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations depending 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 AirAsia 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 five or more hours, the passenger may receive a ticket refund or another 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 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 EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on assistance and compensation for travelers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.

The “Right to Care” under EU261/2004 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers facing significant delays or cancellations. These include:

• Meals 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

When a passenger receives an alternative flight, it is good to be aware of upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In situations, when the airline provides you with a higher class (for instance, you booked Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you won’t have to pay additional fees for this service.

Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you have a right to receive reimbursement. Here, you should be aware that the amount of compensation is determined by 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 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 will not receive compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Specifically, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are outside of 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 might have been able to do something to avoid problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you may be eligible for 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, AirAsia is not a European airline. Therefore, 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.

Itinerary	Covered by EU 261
Flights departing from the EU airports	✔️ Yes
Flights arriving at the EU airports	❌ No

How to Claim AirAsia 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 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 manage the process. We are well-versed in the EU laws well and will do our best to get you your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.

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