What Compensation Can You Get If Your Flight is Delayed?

Flight delays and cancellations may occur from inclement weather, strikes by airline employees, and other unanticipated circumstances. What to do in these situations, and what are your legal rights? There are several ways that delayed flight scenarios can arise, and your rights will vary depending on the circumstances. Travelers should always inquire about specific policies and timeframes from their airline or travel agency, as these can change based on the situation and how the trip was scheduled. Continuing on the topic, in this blog post, we present ways to deal with the flight delay situation and how to get the compensation if eligible. Take a look.

What happens if my flight is delayed?

• Depending on how long your wait was, you may be eligible for complimentary meals or refreshments if your flight has been delayed for more than two hours.
• The airline is required to notify you of a reschedule time more than 24 hours prior to the original scheduled departure if you have been waiting for your domestic flight for longer than 6 hours. Additionally, the airline must either provide you with a full refund or an alternative flight within six hours of your original request.
• You are entitled to complimentary hotel accommodations for delayed flights (if the delay was announced to you more than 24 hours before the original scheduled departure) by more than 24 hours, or more than 6 hours for flights leaving between 20:00 and 3:00 hours.

What happens if my flight is canceled?

Airlines are generally required to notify customers of flight cancellations at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled departure time. They ought to book you on a different flight or issue a ticket refund at the same time such as American Airlines Delay Compensation policy that allows you to get the refund back if you are eligible.

However, as policies and circumstances can vary, travelers should make sure they check with their airline or through their online travel agency as this isn't always the case.

• If you find out about the cancellation less than two weeks in advance but within 24 hours of the scheduled departure time, the airline ought to issue you a replacement ticket or reimburse your purchase.
• If you missed a connecting flight that was scheduled on the same ticket number or were not notified in accordance with protocol, the airline is required to offer you a full refund or an alternative flight that works for you.

Policies may vary if your travel was arranged through an online travel agency. Since every agency is different, find out when, how, and whether you can request a refund for canceled flights by contacting customer service or visiting the official websites of the OTA.

What about delays and cancellations caused by extraordinary circumstances?

Your trip may occasionally be canceled or delayed due to circumstances beyond the airline's control or those of a third party. These circumstances fall under the category of extraordinary circumstances, in which case the airline will not be responsible for paying damages. These may consist of:

• Unfavorable weather, such as torrential rain, dense fog, thunderstorms or volcanic eruptions are examples of natural disasters
• a strike that occurs within the aviation sector (not just among employees of the airline), employee delay at the airport, unruly or sick passengers
• Political conditions, such as a terrorist attack or dangers to public safety brought on by political instability

How long before you get the refund?

Patience is essential, as refund processing times may differ based on the specific circumstances. In ideal situations, you should receive your refund from the travel agency if you made your reservation through one, or instantly if you paid with cash. If you paid with a credit card, your refund should arrive within 7 days. However, wait times may rise if there are a lot of pending claims. When filing a claim, make sure to inquire about anticipated timeframes from your airline or online travel agency.

Claiming compensation for canceled flights has a different time limit for each airline such as Delta Airlines Flight Delay Compensation policy. It's critical that you submit your claim within this window of time in order to be qualified for reimbursement. Rather than waiting two years to file your claim, it makes more sense to do so as soon as possible, while all the details are still fresh in your mind. You might also get paid sooner if you submit your claim right away.

Last Word

The above mentioned blog contains information about how and what to do for compensation when your flight got delayed. Feel free to contact the customer service team in case of any query or questions.