Ethiopian Airlines Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

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

Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004

EU 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 requires airlines to resolve individual cases with fairness and care. If the situation occurs 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

EU Regulation 261 encompasses rules concerning the process of compensation, including aid to people experiencing flight problems. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per person. This sum ranges, depending on your specific case.

Compensation for Ethiopian Airlines 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 the date of your flight and does not offer 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 offered an alternative flight but reaches his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger may also be eligible for 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 Ethiopian Airlines 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 is entitled to a ticket refund or another flight to the final destination.

Furthermore, in such situations, the airline must also provide a passenger with food, drinks, and accommodation. See essential details on 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 refers to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on assistance and compensation for travelers in cases of flight cancellations, long delays, or denied boarding.

The “Right to Care” under EU 261/2004 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 gets an alternative flight, it is good to understand upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In cases, when the airline provides you with a higher class (for instance, you had Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you will not be charged additional fees for this upgrade.

Regarding downgrading in class (if you had 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 fully depends 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.

Keep in mind that these rights cover 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 situations, when passengers will not receive compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Specifically, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are beyond 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 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 applies to all flights departing from European Union airports. 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, Ethiopian Airlines isn’t a European airline. Consequently, they aren’t required to pay compensation if their flights operate outside of the European Union. This is true even for 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 Ethiopian Airlines Compensation

Flight cancellation or delay is an unpleasant situation that can not only upset you but also ruin all your travel plans. Passengers who unfortunately encounter a flight cancellation or delay should be aware of the process to claim 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 understand the EU laws thoroughly and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.

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