Whenever flights get cancelled or delayed, it can be annoying and inconvenient for passengers. However, the European Union has a regulation 261 that helps protect passengers in these situations. Under EU 261, if your flight is delayed or cancelled, the airline has to provide you with compensation and assistance. Passenger Rights Under EU 261/2004 The EU 261 is the regulation that covers the rights of air passengers. More precisely, this regulation covers different situations, including rebooking, delays, flight cancellations, etc., and requires airlines to handle individual cases with fairness and care. If the situation occurs as a result of the airline’s fault, any passenger who underwent certain inconveniences is entitled to receive compensation. In addition, travelers may be eligible for certain benefits, which we will discuss further in the article. Right to Compensation European Union Regulation 261 contains rules regarding the process of compensation, including assistance for passengers experiencing air travel disruptions. Specifically, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive is up to 600 euros per person. This sum ranges, according to your circumstances. Compensation for WestJet Flight Cancellation First and foremost, travelers need to know that the airline must inform them about the cancellation of their flight. In case the airline notifies you less than fourteen days before your flight date and does not provide 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 reaches his destination later than the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the passenger could be entitled to compensation. The table below shows the airline’s obligations depending on the duration 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 WestJet Flight Delay When a flight is delayed for three or more hours, the airline is required to provide compensation. If the flight is delayed for five or more hours, the passenger can expect a ticket refund or another flight to the final destination. Furthermore, in such situations, 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 pertains to a specific aspect of European Union Regulation 261/2004, which establishes common rules on compensation and assistance for travelers in cases of long delays, denied boarding, or flight cancellations. The “Right to Care” under EU261 obliges airlines to provide certain assistance and services to passengers experiencing significant delays or cancellations. These include: Meals and drinks 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 receives an alternative flight, it is important to know about upgrading and downgrading the flight’s class. In situations, when the airline provides you with a higher class (for example, you booked Economy but were upgraded to Business class), you will not have to pay additional fees for this service. Regarding downgrading in class (in case you booked a Business class flight, but were downgraded to Economy), you can obtain reimbursement. In this case, you should be aware 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. Consider that these rights cover every flight within 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 situations, when passengers will not receive compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Particularly, we talk about extraordinary circumstances that are not within 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 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? European Union Regulation 261 applies to all flights departing from airports in the EU. 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, WestJet 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. ItineraryCovered by EU 261Flights departing from the EU airports✔️ YesFlights arriving at the EU airports❌ No How to Claim WestJet Compensation Flight cancellation or delay 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 understand the steps 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 what went wrong. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We know the EU laws well and will make every effort to obtain your rightful compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.