Since every month in the EU around 5000 flights are cancelled and over 30 times more flights are delayed, theory says frequent flyers should know the ins and outs of airline refund scam systems. Nevertheless, according to statistics, airlines pay out a proper compensation to only 5% of all flight disruption cases, tricking passengers into accepting ridiculous coupons or shoddy refunds. Experts say that’s not enough and travellers must always consider moral aspect of the disruption as well.
If you have ever experienced flight delay, cancellation or overbooking, you have probably met the tricks airlines use to try and cover up their mishaps – coupons for food, another flight, city tour or another form of ridiculous refund. However, a proper compensation is entitled to every passenger that has experienced flight disturbance in accordance to EU 261 law.
Experts note that the sum should cover not only the cost of ticket or food while stuck at the airport but moral aspect as well – psychological suffering, as well as violating person’s honour and dignity
As Dr. L. Marcinkevicius, a lawyer at a an independent law firm with vast experience in international cases Juridicon & partners explains, “moral compensation can and must be claimed in any case where a person experienced inconvenience, physical or psychological damage. According to the law, the term also applies to emotional depression, humiliation, damage to person’s reputation. If a person’s worries got up to the point where it can be considered over the usual, then a moral compensation is thought to be of necessity.”
However, CEO of SKYCOP, a company, standing up for passengers and their rights in a fight against airline misbehavior towards flight refunds, explains, that even the people whose life is full of flights still fall into these traps set by sneaky airlines and forgets moral aspect.
“At the time of complete desperation and chaos, it is only natural that human being who feels like drowning tends to climb on the first rope thrown at him to stay afloat. Nevertheless, as the EU law states, the compensation is not only to refund the ticket price but to cover all expenses that were not covered by airline – travelling to and from the airport, money paid for accommodation, planned trips, etc. “Moreover, let’s not forget all of the stress the situation has caused you, which may turn in health problems in the long run.”
According to the EU 261 law, which describes flight disturbance in the European Union, flyers that have experienced delay over 3 hours, flight cancellation within 14 days of flight or overbooking, are entitled to up to €600 compensation. Meaning, rushing to grab the first rope thrown by the airlines after a flight disruption might just be the same as walking into a bear trap.