Compensation for a flight delay on a business trip
Many people are not aware that in the event of a flight delay or cancellation, they are entitled to compensation under the European Regulation No EU 261/2004 even if they were on a business trip. Compensation is a financial reimbursement for stress and problems experienced by the passenger as a result of a flight delay or cancellation.
Who is entitled to compensation?
Despite the fact that the costs of the business trip are borne by the company, the passenger is the one entitled to compensation. The Regulation only lays down the rights of passengers on board, irrespective of the ticket payer. Therefore, the company may not claim damages on behalf of its employees without due authorisation.
What could you be entitled to?
In Europe, all flights from or to the European Union, provided that the airline has its registered office in Europe, are covered under Regulation No. EU 261/2004. This Regulation sets out that if a flight has had more than 3 hours of delay due to the airline’s fault, all passengers are entitled to:
- Compensation in the amount of up to €600
- The partial reimbursement of airline tickets (not in all cases)
- Instalments
- Basic hygiene kits
- Accommodation (in the event of an overnight delay)
For more information on air passenger rights, please refer to our webpage Air Passenger Rights.
What flight inconveniences are covered by the European Regulation?
Flight delay
Flight delays are one of the most frequent inconveniences in air transport. Today, almost every plane takes off with some kind of delay, and some flights may be delayed for quite a while for various reasons. If the flight is delayed due to the airline’s fault, you are entitled to compensation. However, delay is often caused by exceptional circumstances including:
- Bad weather conditions
- Airport staff strike
- Animals at the airport
- Illness
- Political issues
The condition for entitlement is that the flight landed at the destination airport (connecting flights included) with a delay of over 3 hours. More information on flight delays is available on this web-page.
Flight cancellation
The rights in cases of flight cancellations are very similar to those of flight delays. It is very important how quickly the airline informs you of the flight cancellation. If this happens at the airport, the case is treated similarly to a flight delay, and you could be entitled to €600. Even in the event of flight cancellation, it is important to establish the reason for the cancellation and whether the flight was cancelled due to the airline’s fault.
If the airline has cancelled your flight more than 14 days in advance, you are not entitled to compensation. More information on the rights is available on the web-page Flight cancellation.
Denied boarding
It often happens that the airline sells more tickets than there are seats on the plane. In this case, you may also be entitled to €600 compensation and an alternative flight.
However, in the event of being denied boarding, you should be careful not to accept compensation alternatives in the form of air miles or other vouchers. If you have already agreed to such an offer, you have lost your right to compensation.
There are several ways to get compensation. The easiest way is to approach the airline at the airport immediately during delay and seek appropriate compensation. If you did not approach the airline, we recommend that you keep all your invoices and air ticket slips. These can later be used to prove the events at the airport.
The process of claiming compensation can be very long and stressful, so Delayco is here to help. If you have suffered an airline error on a business trip, please complete the Form to see what your rights are.