Whenever flights get cancelled or delayed, it can be frustrating and inconvenient for passengers. However, the EU has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in such situations. Under EU261, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance. This article will focus on Qantas flight compensation, explaining when you may be entitled to it and how to claim it.
Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004
EU Regulation 261 is the regulation that covers air passengers’ rights. Specifically, this legislation covers diverse cases, including delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and requires airlines to resolve individual cases with care and fairness. If the situation occurs due to the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences has a right to get compensation. In addition, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.
Right to Compensation
European Union Regulation 261 includes rules concerning the process of compensation, including assistance for passengers who suffered from issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum varies, depending on your specific case.
Qantas Flight Cancellation Compensation
First and foremost, passengers should be aware that the airline is required to notify them about the cancellation of their flight. In case the airline informs you less than fourteen days before your scheduled departure 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 provided with an alternative flight but arrives at his destination later than the original flight was supposed to, the passenger could be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations based 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 |
Qantas Flight Delay Compensation
The amount of compensation you may receive depends on the delay time, with longer delays generally resulting in higher compensation amounts. 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 is entitled to a ticket refund or an alternative flight to the final destination.
Furthermore, in such situations, the airline must also 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 |
When submitting a compensation claim for a delayed flight, providing accurate flight details is essential to support your case.
Right to Care
Right to Care relates to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out regulations on assistance and compensation for travelers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.
The “Right to Care” under EU261 obliges airlines to provide certain services and assistance to passengers affected by significant delays or cancellations. These include:
- Meals and beverages 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 helpful to be aware of upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.
In situations, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for instance, you had Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you won’t 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 are entitled to obtain reimbursement. In this case, it’s important to note 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.
Consider that these rights cover any flights inside 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 won’t get compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Particularly, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are outside of the airline’s control. Some of the 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 can claim compensation.
Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?
EU 261 applies to all flights departing from airports in the EU. It also applies 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, Qantas isn’t a European airline. Consequently, they don’t have 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 Qantas 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 delay or cancellation should understand the steps to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:
- Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details including your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We are well-versed in the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.
Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations
Was your flight delayed or cancelled without a valid reason? Check our table for the latest flight delays and cancellations. Assess your right to compensation using our claim checker, and let us protect your rights and pursue compensation for you.
Did not find your flight in our table? Try our compensation form, and we will check it for you.
| Date | Flight number | Route | Status | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
07.11.202518:25 | Qantas 1795 | Melbourne (MEL) Adelaide (ADL) | Cancelled | Claim Refund |
07.11.202517:15 | Qantas 473 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:55 | Qantas 624 | Melbourne (MEL) Brisbane (BNE) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:55 | Qantas 691 | Melbourne (MEL) Adelaide (ADL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:55 | Qantas 37 | Melbourne (MEL) Singapore (SIN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:45 | Qantas 5708 | Hobart (HBA) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:45 | Qantas 5444 | Melbourne (MEL) Gold Coast (OOL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:35 | Qantas 5555 | Melbourne (MEL) Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:30 | Qantas 690 | Adelaide (ADL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:25 | Qantas 626 | Melbourne (MEL) Brisbane (BNE) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:15 | Qantas 5916 | Melbourne (MEL) Townsville (TSV) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:05 | Qantas 21 | Melbourne (MEL) Dallas (DFW) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202516:00 | Qantas 463 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:55 | Qantas 1794 | Adelaide (ADL) Melbourne (MEL) | Cancelled | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:40 | Qantas 459 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:15 | Qantas 5511 | Melbourne (MEL) Phuket (HKT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:15 | Qantas 39 | Melbourne (MEL) Jakarta (CGK) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:10 | Qantas 775 | Melbourne (MEL) Perth (PER) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:10 | Qantas 5141 | Melbourne (MEL) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202515:00 | Qantas 455 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:55 | Qantas 5443 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:55 | Qantas 685 | Melbourne (MEL) Adelaide (ADL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:50 | Qantas 5709 | Melbourne (MEL) Hobart (HBA) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:45 | Qantas 1234 | Hobart (HBA) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:45 | Qantas 453 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:25 | Qantas 686 | Adelaide (ADL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:20 | Qantas 627 | Brisbane (BNE) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:20 | Qantas 5465 | Ballina (BNK) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:15 | Qantas 3867 | Melbourne (MEL) Nadi (NAN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202514:00 | Qantas 5704 | Hobart (HBA) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:55 | Qantas 155 | Melbourne (MEL) Auckland (AKL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:30 | Qantas 173 | Melbourne (MEL) Wellington (WLG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:25 | Qantas 773 | Melbourne (MEL) Perth (PER) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:15 | Qantas 625 | Brisbane (BNE) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:10 | Qantas 5509 | Melbourne (MEL) Singapore (SIN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202513:00 | Qantas 5795 | Sunshine Coast (MCY) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:55 | Qantas 5957 | Tokyo (NRT) Kagoshima (KOJ) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:50 | Qantas 683 | Melbourne (MEL) Adelaide (ADL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:45 | Qantas 5441 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:30 | Qantas 442 | Melbourne (MEL) Sydney (SYD) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:30 | Qantas 443 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:20 | Qantas 4029 | Shanghai (PVG) Yantai (YNT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:15 | Qantas 921 | Sunshine Coast (MCY) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:15 | Qantas 623 | Brisbane (BNE) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:15 | Qantas 616 | Melbourne (MEL) Brisbane (BNE) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:10 | Qantas 5528 | Queenstown (ZQN) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:05 | Qantas 35 | Melbourne (MEL) Singapore (SIN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:00 | Qantas 4039 | Melbourne (MEL) Shanghai (PVG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:00 | Qantas 59 | Sydney (SYD) Tokyo (HND) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:00 | Qantas 3451 | Bangkok (BKK) Phnom Penh (SAI) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202512:00 | Qantas 682 | Adelaide (ADL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:35 | Qantas 4226 | Bangkok (BKK) Paris (CDG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:30 | Qantas 3445 | Bangkok (BKK) Koh Samui (USM) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:30 | Qantas 6005 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:15 | Qantas 5438 | Melbourne (MEL) Gold Coast (OOL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:15 | Qantas 5779 | Queenstown (ZQN) Wellington (WLG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:10 | Qantas 877 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202511:05 | Qantas 436 | Melbourne (MEL) Sydney (SYD) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:30 | Qantas 435 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:25 | Qantas 3484 | Bangkok (BKK) Phuket (HKT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:25 | Qantas 5918 | Fukuoka (FUK) Tokyo (NRT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:10 | Qantas 678 | Adelaide (ADL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:05 | Qantas 433 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:05 | Qantas 3448 | Bangkok (BKK) Luang Prabang (LPQ) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:00 | Qantas 5901 | Bussellton (BQB) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202510:00 | Qantas 5948 | Kumamoto (KMJ) Tokyo (NRT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:35 | Qantas 5164 | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Kota-Kinabalu (BKI) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:35 | Qantas 8213 | Hong Kong (HKG) Nagoya (NGO) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:30 | Qantas 431 | Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:25 | Qantas 4020 | Shanghai (PVG) Yantai (YNT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:10 | Qantas 5780 | Wellington (WLG) Queenstown (ZQN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:05 | Qantas 4001 | Shanghai (PVG) (PKX) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202509:00 | Qantas 5437 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:45 | Qantas 993 | Sydney (SYD) Hobart (HBA) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:25 | Qantas 5166 | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Kota-Kinabalu (BKI) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:15 | Qantas 5819 | Auckland (AKL) Queenstown (ZQN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:05 | Qantas 3482 | Bangkok (BKK) Chiang Mai (CNX) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:05 | Qantas 5900 | Melbourne (MEL) Bussellton (BQB) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:05 | Qantas 4011 | Shanghai (PVG) Kunming (KMG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:00 | Qantas 3452 | Bangkok (BKK) Phuket (HKT) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202508:00 | Qantas 5435 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202507:55 | Qantas 8957 | Dubai (DXB) Beirut (BEY) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202507:35 | Qantas 3462 | Bangkok (BKK) Krabi (KBV) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202507:01 | Qantas 3470 | Bangkok (BKK) Sukhothai (sawankolok) (THS) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202506:15 | Qantas 5538 | Sydney (SYD) Queenstown (ZQN) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202504:15 | Qantas 7367 | Launceston (LST) Hobart (HBA) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202502:20 | Qantas 8823 | Dubai (DXB) Dammam (DMM) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
07.11.202500:45 | Qantas 8216 | Colombo (CMB) Hong Kong (HKG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202522:30 | Qantas 5020 | Tel Aviv Yafo (TLV) Bangkok (BKK) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202521:30 | Qantas 5018 | Tel Aviv Yafo (TLV) Bangkok (BKK) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202520:54 | Qantas 4588 | Dallas (DFW) Des Moines (DSM) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202520:35 | Qantas 5451 | Gold Coast (OOL) Melbourne (MEL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202520:05 | Qantas 4285 | Kunming (KMG) Shanghai (PVG) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202519:50 | Qantas 5419 | Gold Coast (OOL) Sydney (SYD) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202519:00 | Qantas 5416 | Sydney (SYD) Gold Coast (OOL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202518:50 | Qantas 5446 | Melbourne (MEL) Gold Coast (OOL) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202518:40 | Qantas 3204 | Pittsburgh (PIT) Chicago (ORD) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202518:40 | Qantas 3401 | Calgary (YYC) Ottawa (YOW) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202518:35 | Qantas 8652 | Darwin (DRW) Kununurra (KNX) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
06.11.202518:25 | Qantas 8670 | New Delhi (DEL) Kochi (COK) | Delayed | Claim Refund |
