Whenever flights get cancelled or delayed, 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 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 regulation that covers air passengers’ rights. Specifically, this legislation covers different situations, such as flight cancellations, delays, rebooking, etc., and obligates airlines to resolve individual cases with care and fairness. If the incident happens due to the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences is entitled to obtain compensation. Moreover, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article. Right to Compensation EU Regulation 261 contains rules concerning the compensation process, including aid to travelers affected by flight problems. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per person. This sum ranges, based on your specific case. Compensation for Cathay Pacific Flight Cancellation First and foremost, travelers should be aware that the airline must inform them about the cancellation of their flight. If the airline informs you less than fourteen days before the date of your flight 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 offered 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 based on the duration of the delay: Under 2 hours2-3 hours3-4 hoursOver 4 hoursNever arrivedDistance€125€250€250€250€250All flights 1,500 km or less€200€200€400€400€400Internal EU flights over 1,500 km€200€200€400€400€400Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km€300€300€300€600€600Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km Compensation for Cathay Pacific Flight Delay When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is required to pay 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, this is the case when the airline is also required to provide a passenger with food, drinks, and accommodation. See key information about compensation in the table below: Less than 3 hoursBetween 3-4 hoursOver 4 hoursDistance€0€250€250All flights up to 1500 km€0€400€400All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km€0€400€400All intra-EU flights over 3500 km€0€300€600All non-EU flights over 3500 km Right to Care Right to Care relates to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which establishes regulations on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of flight cancellations, long delays, or denied boarding. The “Right to Care” under EU261 requires airlines to provide certain services and assistance to passengers experiencing significant delays or cancellations. These include: Food and drinks appropriate to 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 In situations where 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 an upgraded class (for example, you had Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you will not be charged additional fees for this service. Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you can get reimbursement. In this case, 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 cover every flight 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 cases, when passengers aren’t eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled 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 could hypothetically have done 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? European Union Regulation 261 applies to all flights departing from European Union airports. It also applies to flights arriving in the EU if the airline is based in the EU. This includes airlines from EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. Nevertheless, Cathay Pacific is not a European airline. Consequently, 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. ItineraryCovered by EU 261Flights departing from the EU airports✔️ YesFlights arriving at the EU airports❌ No How to Claim Cathay Pacific 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 know exactly how to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps: Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We are well-versed in the EU laws well and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.