Arkia Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

Whenever flights are delayed or cancelled, 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 EU 261, 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 the rights of air passengers. More precisely, this regulation covers different situations, including rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and obligates airlines to resolve individual cases with care and fairness. If the incident happens because of the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences is entitled to obtain compensation. Moreover, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

European Union Regulation 261 contains regulations concerning the compensation process, including aid to travelers experiencing issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum varies, depending on your circumstances.

Compensation for Arkia Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, passengers need to know that the airline must inform them about the cancellation of their flight. If the airline notifies you under fourteen days before your flight date and does not provide 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 arrives at 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 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 Arkia Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is required to provide 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 also must 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 pertains to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.

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

• Meals and drinks appropriate to 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 receives an alternative flight, it is helpful to know about 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 upgrade.

Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to obtain 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 all flights 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 will not receive compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Particularly, 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 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. 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.

However, Arkia isn’t a European airline. Consequently, 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 Arkia 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 delay or cancellation 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 including your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
2. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We know the EU laws well and will strive to obtain your rightful compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.

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