Rights of airline passengers

Has your flight been re-booked, cancelled or delayed? Or is boarding denied? If so, under EU regulations, you are entitled to financial compensation.

Below, you’ll find a description of your rights as a passenger, and what you can do if you are confronted with re-booking, denied boarding, cancellations or delays.

Re-booking

You may have reached your destination, but on a flight other than the one you originally booked. Your flight was RE-BOOKED.

Re-booked on the next flight?

This often happens and almost always results in delays. EU regulations are very clear about this: in most cases, you are entitled to compensation of up to €600 per passenger.

Re-booked on a different route?

If your re-booked flight takes you via a different route and you are delayed by one hour or more, you will in most cases be entitled to compensation. Go to www.rechtenvanvliegtuigpassagiers.nl  (in Dutch only) for details and the compensation CALCULATOR.

Denied boarding

When you check in and you hear that the plane is full and you cannot board, you are a victim of DENIED BOARDING.

If you have a valid ticket and your flight has been overbooked and you are denied boarding as a result, you are entitled to financial compensation (in cash). Airlines will then normally book you onto the next flight.

Beware of accepting vouchers!

Many airlines offer vouchers instead of cash or bank payment. Beware of these! They often have limited validity and it may be difficult to use them in practice. For instance, you cannot use a voucher for online bookings. We advise you to always ask for compensation in cash.

Cancellations

The flight for which you have a valid ticket has been CANCELLED and you are rebooked on the same flight on the next day. In this case, you are entitled to compensation of up to €600 per passenger. Go to www.rechtenvanvliegtuigpassagiers.nl for details and the compensation CALCULATOR. Again, beware of accepting vouchers!

Delays

If your flight is DELAYED for more than 5 hours, EU regulations are clear: you are entitled to meals and refreshments and maybe even accommodation during the delay. You are only entitled to compensation in specific cases. Go to www.rechtenvanvliegtuigpassagiers.nl for details.

If you fly on the same flight on the next day, the delay usually counts as a cancellation and you will be entitled to compensation.

What is a delay or cancellation statement?

Always ask the airline concerned for a written statement in the event of a long delay or a cancellation. If you arranged your own cancellation insurance, you will need this statement. It also serves as proof for getting compensation under the EC 261/2004 regulation.