“You have the right to request financial compensation if your flight arrives with a delay of at least three hours,” Tomáš Smolík from Generali Česká pojišťovna told Novinkám.
Already while waiting, the carrier should provide refreshments if the departure is delayed by more than two hours. If the delay is longer or the flight is canceled and an overnight stay is necessary, people are also entitled to accommodation and transport between the airport and the hotel.
“If the passenger stayed at the airport abroad, he has the right to secure accommodation for as many nights as necessary. This applies for the entire period of waiting for a replacement flight,” pointed out Tereza Genserková from the consumer organization dTest.
Accommodation is provided by airlines, but if this does not happen and the passenger arranges it himself, he can request reimbursement of costs.
It is not necessary to accept the voucher
In case of denied boarding or flight cancellation, the passenger has the choice of rerouting or refunding the price of the ticket.
“You should be offered rerouting, i.e. travel by another route, under comparable traffic conditions, and the journey should take place at the earliest possible opportunity. Alternatively, you should be able to change the reservation to a later date, without additional fees,” states the Civil Aviation Authority. He supervises compliance with the rules and resolves complaints.
If the passenger opts for a refund, the airlines are not obliged to take care of him further. The carrier has seven days to return the money. If he does not communicate and does not meet the deadline, you can contact the bank and request a so-called chargeback, i.e. transaction complaint. The bank can often withdraw the money back.
In practice, airlines often offer a voucher for the next flight instead of money. However, it is not mandatory to accept this option.
And what sums for delay are entitled to? They are not negligible. Depending on the length of the route, it is converted from 6,000 to 14,600 crowns.
“The airline can be released from responsibility if it proves that the delay occurred as a result of extraordinary circumstances,” added Smolík. Typically, these are extreme weather conditions, security risks, strikes at the airport or political instability in the area. On the contrary, extraordinary circumstances usually do not include technical defects of the aircraft.
When a flight is canceled due to a lack of fuel, compensation is considered in the event of incorrect refueling planning. Or when the carrier evaluates that the flight is “uneconomical” due to the high price of fuel.
Specialized services are also involved in recovering compensation, but they keep a quarter of the amount recovered.
There is no right to compensation if the airline has informed about the flight cancellation at least fourteen days in advance. The claim is valid for departures from an airport in the EU or when returning to an airport in the Union, in the case of a European company. When buying a ticket in Tokyo with Japan Airlines to Prague, for example, European law does not apply to this flight. Even here, however, there is a chance to claim compensation for proven damage according to the Montreal Convention. Good travel insurance can also help.
