SATENA Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

Whenever flights are delayed or cancelled, it can be annoying and inconvenient for passengers. However, the EU has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in such situations. Under 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 the rights of air passengers. In particular, this law covers diverse cases, such as rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and obligates airlines to resolve individual cases with care and fairness. If the incident happens as a result of the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences is entitled to obtain compensation. Furthermore, passengers can receive certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

EU Regulation 261 encompasses rules concerning the process of compensation, including assistance to people experiencing air travel disruptions. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per person. This sum varies, according to your circumstances.

Compensation for SATENA Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, travelers should be aware that the airline is required to notify 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, is obligated to compensate you compensation of 250 – 600 euros.

At the same time, if a passenger is offered an alternative flight but arrives at his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger might be entitled to compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations depending 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 SATENA Flight Delay

When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is required to pay 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 is also required to provide a passenger with refreshments, meals, 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 pertains to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which sets out regulations on assistance and compensation for travelers in the event of long delays, denied boarding, or flight cancellations.

The “Right to Care” under EU261 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers affected by significant delays or cancellations. These include:

• Food and beverages appropriate to 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

In situations where a passenger gets an alternative flight, it is helpful to understand upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class.

In situations, when the airline provides you with an upgraded class (for example, 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 flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to obtain reimbursement. Here, it is worth mentioning 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.

Keep in mind 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 delayed or cancelled 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).

In addition, if the airline could hypothetically have done something to avoid issues regarding the flight and failed to handle the situation, you may be eligible for compensation.

Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004?

EU Regulation 261 applies to all flights departing from EU airports. This regulation also extends 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, SATENA isn’t a European airline. Therefore, they are not obliged 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 SATENA Compensation

Flight delay or cancellation 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 be aware of the process to claim compensation. To apply for compensation, follow these steps:

1. Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details including your flight number, date, and the issue you encountered.
2. 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 make every effort to get you your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.

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