“Low-cost airlines very often offer passengers a refund for a canceled or canceled flight for other reasons. What passengers often do then: they buy new tickets from the same or other airlines, because they still need to travel, and those tickets are usually much more expensive. There are also other inconveniences and costs due to sudden changes in plans”, observes B. Rimkus, founder of Oro Skundo.
The representative of the company that protects the rights of passengers in the event of flight disruptions adds that this practice of airlines is against the Regulation (EC) of the European Parliament and the Council no. 261/2004, which lays down general rules for compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied carriage, flight cancellation or long delay. The regulation stipulates that even in the event of a strike, airlines have the obligation to transport the passenger in the fastest possible way in the direction in which the flight was purchased.
“And not even necessarily with the same airlines – alternative flights can be organized with other airlines as well. However, we find that this practice is hardly used by low-cost airlines. Rather than arranging an alternative flight as soon as possible, airlines often offer to simply refund the passenger, but this benefits the airline and not the passenger.
“Low-cost airlines mention that you can change flights, but usually there are no seats available on the nearest flights of the same airlines, and you can choose a flight only after a few days or weeks”, notes B. Rimkus.
The expert reminds that if you have to wait for the flight, the airlines have the obligation to take care of the passengers’ accommodation, travel to the place of accommodation and back to the airport, food and drinks. If the passenger’s flight is canceled and rescheduled, for example, to another day, and as a result the passenger from another city, say, has to spend the night in a hotel, the airlines must also compensate for these costs (of course, it must not be a luxury hotel, but an economy class hotel) .
“So the best thing a passenger can do if their flight has been unexpectedly canceled is not to rush to get their money back, but to contact the airline and request an alternative flight as soon as possible and save this request. If the airlines do not offer an alternative flight as soon as possible, we would advise you to purchase the flight yourself and ask the airline that did not offer an alternative flight to reimburse you for these costs.
We always recommend saving the accommodation bill, new flight bill, reservation confirmation, and food and beverage purchase receipts. It’s also a good idea to save evidence that you’ve tried to contact the airline in case it doesn’t work out. Often, in the case of massive disruptions, airlines are unable to serve passengers for a period of several hours,” the representative of “Oro Skundos” reminds of the rights of passengers after flight cancellation.
