Whenever flights are delayed or cancelled, it can be frustrating and inconvenient for passengers. However, the EU has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in these situations. According to EU 261/2004, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance.
Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004
EU Regulation 261 is the regulation that deals with air passengers’ rights. In particular, this regulation covers diverse cases, such as rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and requires 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 get compensation. Moreover, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.
Right to Compensation
EU Regulation 261 contains rules regarding the compensation process, including assistance to people experiencing air travel disruptions. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can potentially get is up to 600 euros per person. This sum ranges, according to your circumstances.
Compensation for Sansa Airlines Flight Cancellation
First and foremost, passengers should be aware that the airline must inform them about the flight cancellation. In case the airline informs you under fourteen days before your scheduled departure and does not provide any alternative flight, the airline, according to the EU 261, 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 could be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations based on the duration 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 Sansa Airlines Flight Delay
When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is obligated to provide 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 also must provide a passenger with beverages, some food, 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 relates to a specific aspect of EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out standard rules on assistance and compensation for travelers in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.
The “Right to Care” under EU 261 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers facing significant delays or cancellations. These include:
- Food and beverages appropriate for the waiting time
- Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay becomes necessary
- Transport between the airport and the place of accommodation
- Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes
Upgrading and Downgrading
When a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is important to know about 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 have to pay additional fees for this upgrade.
Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you can receive reimbursement. In this case, 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 apply to any flights inside 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 won’t get compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Specifically, we refer to 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 potentially could 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 applies to all flights departing from European Union airports. It also covers 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, Sansa Airlines is not a European airline. Therefore, they aren’t required 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.
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing from the EU airports | ✔️ Yes |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ❌ No |
How to Claim Sansa Airlines Compensation
Flight cancellation or delay is an unpleasant situation that can not only upset you but also ruin all your travel plans. Those who are unlucky enough to face a flight cancellation or delay should be aware of the process to seek compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:
- Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We understand the EU laws well and will make every effort to get you your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.