Travelling by air requires planning and often flexibility. But what happens if the airline makes changes to your flight schedule? From time changes and flight cancellations to changes to the flight route - there are many scenarios in which the airline is obliged to inform you in good time. In this article, we explain the deadlines for notifying flight changes, what rights you have as a passenger and what you can do if the airline informs you too late.
Deadlines for notification of flight changes
The EU Regulation (EC 261/2004) regulates what rights passengers have when airlines make changes to the flight schedule. Airlines are obliged to inform you of changes in good time, especially if there is a cancellation or significant delay.
Here are the key deadlines:
- At least 14 days before departure: If the airline informs you of the change or cancellation of the flight at least 14 days before the planned departure date, you are not entitled to compensation. However, you must be offered a rebooking or a refund of the flight price.
Between 7 and 14 days before departure: If the change is notified between 7 and 14 days before the departure date and the alternative flight departs more than two hours earlier or arrives four hours later than the originally booked flight, you are entitled to compensation of up to EUR 600, depending on the route.
Less than 7 days before departure: If you are notified less than 7 days before departure and the new flight departs more than one hour earlier or arrives two hours later, you are also entitled to compensation. The same amounts apply here as for the other deadlines.
In these cases, the compensation applies regardless of whether the airline offers you a rebooking or a refund.
Your rights in the event of flight changes at short notice
If you are informed of a change less than 14 days before your departure, you are not defenceless. In such cases, you may be entitled to assistance and financial compensation. The amount of compensation depends on the flight route and the delay at your final destination:
- 250 EUR for flights up to 1,500 km,
400 EUR for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km,
600 EUR for flights over 3,500 km.
In addition, the airlines must provide you with catering, accommodation (if necessary) and transport to and from the hotel in the event of longer waiting times. These services must be provided regardless of the reasons for the flight change.
Have you also had difficulties claiming your compensation directly from the airline? Let us help you! Submit your case to Captain Frank and we'll take care of the rest.
What to do if the airline informs you too late?
Unfortunately, it happens again and again that airlines inform passengers about changes at short notice or not at all. To assert your rights, you should take the following steps in such cases:
1. Collect evidence: Keep a record of all relevant information, such as emails, text messages or app notifications from the airline that informed you of the change. Boarding passes, booking confirmations and other travel documents are also important.2. Claim your compensation: If you are not notified in time, you can make a claim. To do so, first contact the airline and claim the statutory compensation.
3. Use a legal service provider: If the airline does not respond or rejects your claim, it may make sense to involve a specialised legal service provider such as Captain Frank. They will enforce your rights and claim compensation on your behalf - without any risk to you. You only pay if the claim is successful.
The conclusion:
The EU regulation ensures that airlines must inform passengers of flight changes in good time. Depending on how quickly the notification is made and how significant the changes are, you as a passenger have the right to compensation and additional services. If the airline informs you too late or does not react at all, you can successfully enforce your claims with the support of a legal service provider.
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Foto von Markus Spiske auf Unsplash
