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Glasgow Live

National

Sophie Buchan

Passenger compensation rights as easyJet staff in Spain begin three-day strike

easyJet

People will now be jetting off on a plane and heading to their chosen destination in a bid to get away for the summer holidays.

And whilst many are waiting to be hit by the hot air as they step off the plane, others are finding this time stressful with a Spanish cabin crew for easyJet going on a three-day strike.

It comes as airlines across the UK are cancelling and delaying flights leaving holidaymakers worried about getting to their accommodation on time.

Because of this, people are keen to know their rights should anything happen to them before or after their holiday. Taking a look at easyJet, the airline has outlined circumstances in which you would be due compensation. This includes delays as well as cancellations.

So with this in mind, what do you need to know?

easyJet flight delay - passenger compensation

Taking to their website they state that when they "reasonably expect" a flight to be delayed beyond its scheduled departure time, passengers will be entitled to "some of the rights set out in section 3(a) and (c)."

These people include those under the following delayed circumstances:

For at least two hours in cases of flights of 1500 km or less
For at least three hours in cases of all flights within Europe of more than 1500 km
All other flights between 1500 km and 3500 km
For at least four hours for flights greater than 3500km

They add: "If your flight is delayed by at least five hours, you will be entitled to reimbursement of that flight should you choose not to fly as set out in section 2(a). If your flight is delayed to the day after the original flight departure time, you will be entitled to the rights under section 3(b) and (c).

"In the event that your flight is delayed by more than three hours from its scheduled arrival time you will be entitled to the rights in section one, except where the delay is due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken, which may include (but not limited to) air traffic control, weather, civil unrest, terrorist alerts and security alerts, industrial action and unexpected flight safety shortcomings."

You can check out each section here.

easyJet flight cancellation - passenger compensation

The airline states that if your flight is cancelled, you may be entitled to the rights set out in sections two and three. In addition, you may also be entitled to compensation under section one of the notice except in circumstances where the following applies.

This includes:

You are informed of the cancellation at least two weeks before the scheduled departure time; or
You are informed of the cancellation between two weeks and seven days before the scheduled departure time and are offered re-routing, allowing you to depart no more than two hours before the scheduled departure time and to reach your final destination less than four hours after the scheduled arrival time; or
You are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled departure time and are offered re-routing, allowing you to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled departure time and to reach your final destination less than two hours after the scheduled arrival time; or
The cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken, which may include (but not limited to) air traffic control, weather, civil unrest, terrorist alerts and security alerts, strike action and unexpected flight safety shortcomings.

easyJet denied boarding - passenger compensation

The airline explains that if you were "involuntarily denied boarding, having presented yourself as required for check-in and boarding on time," you may be entitled to the rights in sections one, two and three. They add: "This does not apply where we had reasonable grounds to deny you boarding."

Discussing passenger rights, Guy Hobbs, Editor of Which? Travel, explained: “Strikes by airline staff are within the airline’s control, so if your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled because of this then you’ll likely be entitled to compensation.

“EasyJet must communicate these rights so that individuals and families are not made to suffer financially as a result of these walkouts in the UK’s favourite holiday destination.

“The airline should also offer to reroute affected passengers using other carriers if necessary. Last week we reported EasyJet to the Civil Aviation Authority for failing to rebook customers at the earliest opportunity or inform them of their right to compensation. The regulator must intervene if EasyJet fails to meet its legal obligations to passengers this summer.”

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