Aena Clarifies: Up To €600 Compensation For Flight Delays. Are You Claiming Yours?

2 hours ago

Passengers flying wrong aliases from nan European Union person beardown ineligible protections nether EU Regulation 261/2004, which still galore are unaware of. With nan Christmas play coming up, airports will beryllium packed pinch expats flying location to sojourn family. Inevitably, location will beryllium immoderate delays.

Spanish airdrome authority Aena has reminded travellers that important delays, cancellations, aliases denied boarding tin trigger automatic authorities to care, reimbursement, and rate compensation of up to €600 per person.

In 2024 alone, astir 218,000 flights departing from airports covered by EU Regulation 261/2004 knowledgeable delays of 3 hours aliases much connected presence aliases last-minute cancellations that qualified passengers for compensation, perchance entitling astir 26 cardinal travellers to a mixed €6.5 billion, according to information analysed by claims master Skycop. Despite nan standard of these disruptions, which worsened amid grounds air-traffic delays and utmost upwind events, only astir 1 successful 3 eligible passengers really revenge a claim, leaving an estimated €4.3 cardinal unclaimed crossed nan continent. This persistent spread reveals that, moreover 2 decades aft nan regularisation came into force, millions of Europeans still locomotion distant from delays and cancellations without exercising their ineligible correct to up to €600 per person.

What is EU regularisation 261/2004, and who is covered?

The regularisation officially known arsenic EC 261/2004 applies to:

All flights departing from an EU/EEA airdrome (any airline)
Flights arriving successful nan EU/EEA operated by an EU-based airline

Official text: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex. Given immoderate guidance astatine nan customer work desk, this is nan regularisation to quote.

Aena stresses that “whenever you fly, your correct to recreation comfortably and safely is protected by nan European Union”.

Assistance you’re entitled to during agelong delays

If your formation is delayed astatine departure, nan hose must look aft you for free arsenic soon arsenic nan hold reaches a definite length. For short flights (up to 1,500 km), attraction starts aft 2 hours; for medium-length flights (1,500–3,500 km aliases immoderate formation wrong nan EU that’s longer than 1,500 km), it starts aft 3 hours; and for long-haul flights complete 3,500 km, you get thief aft 4 hours. This attraction includes meals and drinks suitable for nan waiting time, 2 free telephone calls, emails aliases faxes, and (if you person to hold overnight) a edifice room positive carrier to and from nan airport. You don’t person to salary thing upfront and inquire for reimbursement later; nan hose has to supply these things correct distant astatine nan airport.

Cash compensation for delays of 3 hours aliases much connected arrival

If your formation lands astatine its last destination 3 hours aliases much precocious (compared to nan scheduled presence time), you are usually entitled to a fixed rate payment from nan airline, moreover if nan hold was only 5 minutes astatine take-off but grew longer en route. The magnitude depends only connected nan region of your flight, not connected really precocious you really were (except for nan very longest routes):

€250 for flights up to 1,500 km
€400 for flights betwixt 1,500 km and 3,500 km (or immoderate formation wholly wrong nan EU longer than 1,500 km)
€600 for flights longer than 3,500 km

On those longest flights, nan hose tin trim nan costs successful half (to €300) only if you arrived betwixt 3 and 4 hours late. The hose does not person to salary this money if it tin beryllium nan hold was caused by thing wholly extracurricular its control, specified arsenic terrible weather, a abrupt information threat, aliases an air-traffic-control strike. In each different cases, specified arsenic method problems, unit shortages, overbooking, etc., nan compensation is owed automatically, and you do not request to beryllium anything.

When compensation is NOT payable

Cancellation notified much than 14 days successful advance
You were informed 7 to 14 days earlier and offered a rerouting departing nary much than 2 hours earlier and arriving little than 4 hours later.
The hose proves nan disruption was caused by bonzer circumstances beyond its control.

Baggage problems: Your authorities and deadlines

If your checked baggage is delayed, damaged, aliases lost:

Damage: study wrong 7 days of receiving it
Delay: study wrong 21 days of yet receiving it
Total loss: declare aft 21 days

Compensation tin scope astir €1,300 nether nan Montreal Convention. More info: Aena – Passenger Rights (official Spanish page successful English)

How to declare your compensation

Keep each boarding passes and booking references.
Ask hose unit astatine nan airdrome for written confirmation of nan delay/cancellation (you whitethorn person to insist).
Submit your declare straight to nan hose first (most person online forms).
If denied aliases ignored aft 6 to 8 weeks, escalate to nan nationalist enforcement assemblage aliases user agency successful nan state wherever nan incident occurred.

Many passengers successfully usage specialised declare companies (they take astir 25 to 30 per cent commission) aliases nan official EU title form.

Bottom line

Next clip your formation from Spain aliases anyplace successful nan EU is importantly delayed aliases cancelled, you are very apt entitled to meals, hotels, and up to €600 successful rate compensation, nary questions asked successful astir cases. Know your rights and don’t time off money connected nan table.

For nan astir up-to-date information, ever cheque nan charismatic sources: