Flight Delays Due To Bad Weather
If your flight was delayed or canceled due to normal bad weather you may be eligible to claim compensation from the airlines under EC Regulation 261/2004.
Claiming Compensation for Delayed Flights due to Bad Weather
The airlines ought to take into account the normal and foreseeable weather conditions before making schedules. In other words, they should prudently decide in advance whether they wish to allow the aircraft to fly to and from certain airports, given the weather conditions expected to be prevalent there.
The final adjudication of extraordinarily bad weather conditions remains a grey area. The comprehensive overview of several court decisions and rulings on the matter can be referred at Claim Flights free database to have a vivid understanding of the complexities involved in the matter.
Is Bad Weather considered an Extraordinary Circumstances?
Now, if any airline could operate any flight to or from the airport in the prevalent bad weather conditions, then every airline is expected to operate the flight for their passengers by taking equal measures.
However, if it was not possible for any airline to operate any flight from the airport due to bad weather conditions, then the compensation claims for flight delays or cancellations can be denied by the airlines.
The European Union laws covering air passenger rights and the US Federal laws for the same objective provide for adequate compensation to the passengers for flight delays or cancellations.
Any air passenger traveling within to or from EU nations can claim compensations for flight delays or cancellations within the framework provided by EC Regulation 261/2004. All air passengers, including US citizens traveling within or from Europe, can make the claim for compensations in the event of delays within the definition of the EU 261/2004.
According to EC 261/2004, the extraordinary conditions which could be the basis of denial of compensation claims by airlines includes meteorological conditions which make it impossible to ensure safe operations of flights, political instability, strikes and security risks, among other reasons.
Further, if bad weather conditions cause one particular flight to be delayed and this subsequently delays a later aircraft, it could be possible to claim compensation for the delay of the later flight.
EU Air Passenger Rights in conformity with EC Regulation 261/2004
US citizens can also benefit equally from these provisions. The amount of claim compensation that can be made by any air passenger for delayed or canceled flights is dependent on the distance of travel which can be seen from the table below:
Flight Distance | Extent of the Delay* | Amount of Compensation |
---|---|---|
Up to 1500 km | 3 hrs. or more | €250 ($280) |
1500 km to 3500 km | 3 hrs. or more | €400 ($450) |
Over 3500 km | Crossing EU borders and 3 hrs. or more | €600 ($680) |
Passenger Rights in case of Flight Delays due to Bad Weather
- Hotel accommodation (in case passengers need to stay overnight)
- Food and drink in relation to the waiting time
- Two telephone calls/email messages/fax/telex
- Transportation between the hotel and the airport.
Flight Compensation Calculator
It will be important to clarify here that we undertake claim services for the flights operating in EU skies and jurisdiction only. All air passengers, including those from the US, traveling in EU jurisdiction, can use our services.
Esenia Ulbrich
Founder & Legal Head
Esenia Ulbrich is the founder of Claim Flights and heads the legal team. She hold a master of business administration and loves sailing in the Saronic Gulf, hiking in the alpes and spents time with her daughter.
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