Flight Delays

What are flight delays?

Flight delays are a common annoyance for travelers, which unfortunately happens all too often. A flight delay is when a flight does not take off or land at the scheduled time. This can be due to various reasons and can be very frustrating for passengers as it can mess up their travel plans.

As an experienced traveler, I have unfortunately experienced quite a few flight delays in recent years. I know how annoying and stressful it can be when the flight doesn't take off or arrive on time. Therefore, in this article, I would like to go into more detail about what flight delays are, what the causes can be and how passengers can deal with them.

Reasons for Flight Delays

There are a variety of possible reasons why flights may be delayed. Here are some of the most common causes:

1. Weather conditions: Bad weather such as storm, rain or snow can cause flights to take off or land late. Airports then often have to temporarily suspend flight operations to ensure the safety of passengers.
2. Technical problems: Technical defects in aircraft or problems with the infrastructure at the airport can also lead to delays. The airlines then have to wait for the repairs before the flight can take off.
3. Staff shortages: If there are not enough ground staff, pilots or flight attendants, flights can be delayed because the necessary processes on the ground cannot be completed in time.
4. Airport capacity: Congested airports with too many take-offs and landings sometimes mean that aircraft have to wait in the air or on the ground until a take-off or landing window is available.
5. Feeder flight delays: If an aircraft has to wait for a connecting flight because the previous flight was delayed, this can affect the entire travel chain.
6. Security checks: Long waiting times at security checks can also lead to flight delays.

These reasons show that, unfortunately, flight delays are often beyond the control of passengers. This makes it all the more important that travelers know their rights and are adequately compensated in the event of a delay.

Passengers' rights in the event of flight delays

Fortunately, passengers have certain rights in the event of delays, which must be granted to them by the airlines. These rights are regulated in the EU Flight Passenger Rights Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

Accordingly, passengers whose flight is delayed by at least 3 hours are entitled to:

• Childcare services such as free meals and drinks and, if necessary, an overnight stay in a hotel
• Compensation payments of 250 to 600 euros, depending on the flight route
• Refund of the fare or rebooking on another flight

However, there are also exceptional cases in which the airline is exempt from the obligation to pay compensation, for example in the event of extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters or strikes. Here it is important that travelers know their rights and contact the airline in case of doubt.

How to avoid flight delays

Although flight delays are often unavoidable, there are a few things travelers can do to minimize the risk:

7. Arrive at the airport early: The more time you plan at the airport, the less likely you are to miss your flight due to a delay.
8. Book direct flights: Connecting flights carry a higher risk of delay, as delays can easily be transferred to the connecting flight.
9. Choose flexible bookings: Flight tickets with rebooking options or cancellation protection can be helpful if the flight is delayed.
10. Gather information: Find out about the airline's punctuality statistics and possible weather warnings before travelling.
11. Plan appropriately: Plan enough time buffer between the flight and subsequent appointments to avoid stress in the event of delays.

Steps to get compensation for flight delays

If, despite all precautions, a flight delay does occur, travelers should take the following steps to assert their compensation claims:

12. Find out about your rights: Familiarise yourself with the applicable air passenger rights to know what you are entitled to.
13. Document everything: Make a note of the flight dates, the duration of the delay and all relevant information. Keep boarding passes and other supporting documents.
14. Request compensation directly from the airline: Fill out the airline's complaint form and send it by post or email. Insist on your rights.
15. Be persistent: If the airline does not respond or rejects the claim, you can take legal action. There are specialized air passenger rights portals that can help you with this.
16. Be patient: The process of claiming compensation can sometimes take some time. So persist until you get your rights.

Tips for dealing with flight delays

While flight delays can be frustrating, there are a few behaviors that can make it easier for you to deal with them:

• Keep calm: Don't panic, stay level-headed. This will help you to cope with the situation better.
• Get informed: Get up-to-date information from the airline or at the airport. So you know what's going on and can adjust to it.
• Be flexible: Adapt your travel plans to the new situation as much as possible. This reduces stress.
• Use the waiting time wisely: for example, by eating something, working or relaxing.
• Be polite to the staff: The airline staff often can't do much about the situation, but friendliness helps.
• Plan for buffers: Allow a little more time for connecting trips or appointments to cushion delays.

Passenger rights in the event of flight delays

As mentioned earlier, passengers have certain rights in the event of flight delays that must be respected by airlines. These air passenger rights are regulated in the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

The most important rights include:

• Assistance: In the event of delays of at least 2 hours, airlines must provide free meals and drinks and, if applicable, a hotel night.
• Compensation: In the event of delays of at least 3 hours, passengers are entitled to compensation of 250 to 600 euros, depending on the route.
• Refund or rebooking: In the event of very long delays, travelers can also request a refund of the fare or a rebooking on another flight.
• Cancellation compensation: Even if a flight is cancelled altogether, passengers are entitled to compensation.

It is important that travellers are aware of these rights and actively claim them in the event of a delay. Airlines are legally obliged to pay compensation.

If you know your rights in the event of flight delays and consistently claim them, you can at least mitigate your anger about the delay financially. It is best to find out about the applicable air passenger rights before your next trip so that you know what you are entitled to in an emergency.