Whenever flights get delayed or cancelled, it can be frustrating and inconvenient for passengers. However, the European Union has a regulation 261 that helps protect passengers in such situations. According to EU261/2004, 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 law that covers the rights of air passengers. In particular, this legislation covers diverse cases, including delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and requires airlines to resolve individual cases with fairness and care. If the incident happens due to the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences has a right to receive compensation. In addition, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article. Right to Compensation EU Regulation 261 includes rules concerning the process of compensation, including assistance to people who suffered from issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per passenger. This sum ranges, according to your circumstances. Compensation for Tassili Airlines Flight Cancellation First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the cancellation of their flight. If the airline informs you under fourteen days before your flight date 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 arrives at his destination later than the original flight was supposed to, the passenger may also be eligible for compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations based 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 Tassili Airlines Flight Delay When a flight is delayed for 3+ hours, the airline is required 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, this is the case when the airline must also provide a passenger with beverages, some food, and accommodation. See essential details 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 refers to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which sets out regulations on assistance and compensation for travelers in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays. The “Right to Care” under EU261/2004 requires airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers affected by 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 hotel Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes Upgrading and Downgrading When a passenger receives an alternative flight, it is important to be aware of 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 won’t be charged additional fees for this upgrade. Regarding downgrading in class (if you had 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 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. Keep in mind that these rights apply to every flight within 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 situations, when passengers aren’t eligible for compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Specifically, we refer to extraordinary circumstances that are beyond 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). Moreover, if the airline potentially could have done something to avoid problems with the flight and failed to handle the situation, you might be entitled to compensation. Which Flights are Covered by EU 261/2004? European Union 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. Nevertheless, Tassili Airlines isn’t 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. ItineraryCovered by EU 261Flights departing from the EU airports✔️ YesFlights arriving at the EU airports❌ No How to Claim Tassili Airlines 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 delay or cancellation 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 what went wrong. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We are well-versed in the EU laws well and will do our best to secure your compensation. You only incur a fee if we win your case.