Volaris Compensation and Reimbursement for Cancelled and Delayed Flights

Whenever flights are cancelled or delayed, it can be annoying and inconvenient for passengers. However, the EU has a regulation 261/2004 that helps protect passengers in such situations. According to EU 261/2004, if your flight is delayed or cancelled, 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. Specifically, this legislation covers diverse cases, such as delays, flight cancellations, rebooking, etc., and requires airlines to handle individual cases with care and fairness. If the situation occurs due to the airline’s fault, any traveler who experienced certain inconveniences has a right to get compensation. Moreover, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article.

Right to Compensation

The EU 261 includes rules regarding the compensation process, including aid to people experiencing issues with flights. In particular, the amount of compensation you can be eligible for is up to 600 euros per person. This sum varies, based on your circumstances.

Compensation for Volaris Flight Cancellation

First and foremost, travelers need to know 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 flight date and does not provide 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 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 Volaris 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 another flight to the final destination.

Furthermore, this is the case when the airline must also 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 EU Regulation 261/2004, which sets out common rules on compensation and assistance 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 experiencing significant delays or cancellations. These include:

• Snacks and drinks appropriate for 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 know about 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 will not be charged extra for this service.

Regarding downgrading in class (if you had a Business class ticket, but were downgraded to Economy), you are entitled to obtain reimbursement. Here, 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.

Consider that these rights cover all flights 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 will not receive compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Particularly, 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 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?

European Union 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.

Nevertheless, Volaris is not a European airline. Therefore, they are not obliged 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 Volaris Compensation

Flight cancellation or delay can be a frustrating experience 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:

1. Fill in this form. You’ll need to provide details including your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
2. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will handle the rest. We know the EU laws comprehensively and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.

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