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 EU261/2004, 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 law that covers air passengers’ rights. Specifically, this legislation covers diverse cases, such as delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and obligates airlines to handle individual cases with fairness and care. If the situation occurs because of the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences has a right to obtain compensation. Furthermore, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article. Right to Compensation The EU 261 includes rules concerning the compensation process, including assistance to people who suffered from air travel disruptions. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, depending on your circumstances. Compensation for Georgian Airways Flight Cancellation First and foremost, passengers need to know that the airline is required to notify them about the cancellation of their flight. In case the airline informs you under fourteen days before your scheduled departure 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 provided with an alternative flight but arrives at his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger could be entitled to compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations depending on the length 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 Georgian Airways Flight Delay When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is obligated to provide compensation. If the flight is delayed for 5 hours or more, the passenger can expect a ticket refund or another flight to the final destination. Furthermore, this is the case when the airline is also required to provide a passenger with beverages, some food, 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 pertains to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which establishes standard rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of flight cancellations, long delays, or denied boarding. The “Right to Care” under EU261 requires airlines to provide certain services and assistance to passengers facing significant delays or cancellations. These include: Snacks and drinks appropriate to 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 In situations where a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is important to understand 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 won’t be charged extra for this upgrade. Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you have a right to receive reimbursement. Here, it is worth mentioning 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. Consider that these rights apply to every flight 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 cancelled or delayed flights. Particularly, we refer to 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). Furthermore, if the airline could hypothetically have done something to prevent problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you might be entitled to compensation. Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004? EU Regulation 261 covers 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. Nevertheless, Georgian Airways isn’t a European airline. Therefore, 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. ItineraryCovered by EU 261Flights departing from the EU airports✔️ YesFlights arriving at the EU airports❌ No How to Claim Georgian Airways Compensation Flight delay or cancellation 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 know exactly how to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps: Fill in 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 handle the rest. We understand the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.