Hainan Airlines 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 EU 261, 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 regulation that deals with the rights of air passengers. In particular, this law covers diverse cases, such as delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and obligates airlines to handle individual cases with fairness and care. If the incident happens due to the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences is entitled to get compensation. Furthermore, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

The EU 261 includes rules concerning the compensation process, including assistance for passengers who suffered from flight problems. In particular, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, based on your circumstances.

Compensation for Hainan Airlines Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, travelers should be aware that the airline must inform them about the flight cancellation. If the airline informs you under fourteen days before the date of your flight and does not offer any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261 regulation, 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 scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger might 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 Hainan Airlines Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is obligated to pay compensation. If the flight is delayed for five or more hours, the passenger may receive a ticket refund or an alternative flight to the final destination.

Furthermore, in such situations, the airline is also required to 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 refers to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on compensation and assistance for travelers in the event of long delays, denied boarding, or flight cancellations.

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

• Food and drinks appropriate for the waiting time
• Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay becomes necessary
• Transport between the airport and the hotel
• Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes

Upgrading and Downgrading

In situations where a passenger receives an alternative flight, it is important to be aware of upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In cases, 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 (if you had a Business class ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you can obtain reimbursement. In this case, it’s important to note that the amount of compensation is entirely based 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 cover 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 situations, when passengers won’t get compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Specifically, we talk about 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).

Furthermore, if the airline might have been able to do something to avoid problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you can claim compensation.

Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?

EU 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.

However, Hainan Airlines is not a European airline. Therefore, 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 Hainan Airlines Compensation

Flight cancellation or delay 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:

1. Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
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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