Delayed or Cancelled Flight: The Rights Too Many Passengers Overlook

Frequent delays and cancellations

A recent study conducted by Flightright in collaboration with Poll&Roll reveals an alarming lack of knowledge about air passenger rights among the French. On the 20th anniversary of the European Directive 261/2004, which provides for compensation of up to 600 euros in case of delayed or cancelled flights or denied boarding due to overbooking, it appears that 43% of French passengers are not informed about their rights. This can have a significant cost, as passengers rarely claim the compensations they might be entitled to.

Flight disruptions, such as delays and cancellations, are more common than we might think, particularly during peak travel times. The survey shows that 35% of the French have already faced such inconveniences. This proportion rises to 57% in Île-de-France, a region served by two major international airports, Paris Orly and Paris CDG, which play a central role in European and global air traffic.

Compensation tough to obtain

According to the survey, half of the French people who have had problems during air travel have not taken any claims action, often out of ignorance of their rights. This situation is all the more regrettable as rules allow for a significant financial compensation.

However, the compensation process proves to be complicated and airlines do not always facilitate the procedures. Among passengers who have made claims, the survey reveals that the vast majority had to navigate the process alone, a few used specialized platforms or lawyers, but with widely varying results. While some were able to get a full refund for their ticket, many had to settle for partial compensation or received nothing at all.

The study underlines the importance for air passengers to familiarize themselves with their rights in order not to miss the opportunity to be compensated in case of inconvenience. To find out how to get an airplane ticket refunded, check out our article!