Filenews 8 July 2022
The Consumer Protection Service, on the occasion of the situation that prevails in recent days at many airports, due to the strike of airline workers, wishes to inform the affected travellers about their rights in case of cancellation or delay of their flight.
If the affected traveller's flight is part of a package travel, the traveller has the following rights, in accordance with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Law of 2017:
- In the event that due to the situation the package cannot take place, the traveller is entitled to a full refund of all the amounts paid for the package.
- If the package is finally executed, but due to a long delay in the flights, it was not possible to fully execute it as agreed, the traveller is entitled to an appropriate reduction in the price of the package.
- In the event that the repatriation of the traveller is affected, either due to a long delay of the flight or due to its cancellation, the organiser must provide appropriate assistance or assistance to the traveller in difficulty. If it is impossible to ensure the return of the traveller as agreed in the package travel contract, the organizer shall bear the cost of the necessary accommodation, if possible of an equivalent category to that included in the accommodation of the package, for a period of not more than three (3) nights per traveller.
- In all the above cases, the traveller is not entitled to additional compensation as this situation is an unavoidable and extraordinary circumstance that is not in the control of the organizer.
It is noted that, in general, an organized trip is considered the combination of at least two travel services that have been purchased from one point of sale at a total price.
In the case of an individual flight, which I am not part of a package, the passenger has the following rights, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004:
- In case of cancellation of the flight, the traveller is entitled either to a refund of the ticket price or to an alternative way of getting to the final destination and possibly additional financial compensation under certain conditions.
- In case of delay of the flight on departure, the passenger is entitled to a refund of the ticket price or a return flight. If the delay is more than 3 hours at the final destination, the passenger may also be entitled to financial compensation. The same rights shall be granted in the event of denied boarding by the airline.
It is noted that the airline must always inform passengers of their rights.
For more information you can contact the Consumer Protection Service at the telephone number 1429.
