At the end of June, six million passengers in Europe were affected by delayed flights, and last week’s IT failure affected several airlines in the form of technical problems with both booking systems and departures, causing delays.
According to a new study from the Swedish Consumer Agency, the problems with canceled and delayed flights cost consumers around SEK 3,000 per person per year.
The total includes the costs incurred by the traveler, minus any compensation that has already been paid, as well as the time spent on solving the problem.
– It’s about two billion kroner per year, so it’s a lot of money, says Claudia Ayala Calderon, legal advisor at Konsument Europa.
Many neglect to request compensation
According to the Swedish Consumer Agency, one in three consumers has little knowledge of what rights they have in the event of flight problems.
The authority sees that many people neglect to request compensation for the extra costs that the flight mess has led to.
– It’s not that complicated, but it takes time. We advise consumers to contact the airline in writing, via email or via their contact form.
You may be entitled to compensation
Affected travelers can receive compensation for flights that have been canceled or delayed for more than three hours. How big the compensation will be depends on the length of the flight.
– It can vary between 250 euros up to 600 euros, says Claudia Ayala Calderon.
If you are affected by a delayed or canceled flight, it is important to remember to save all receipts, says Claudia Ayala Calderon.
– The consumer must be able to prove his extra costs. Many airlines do not accept bank statements. Then it’s good to keep all receipts, says Claudia Ayala Calderon, legal advisor at Konsument Europa.