Know Your Rights : Compensation for cancelled flight

July  2013

Question

I booked a flight from Dublin to attend my niece’s wedding in France. When I arrived at the airport, I was told the flight was cancelled and the next available flight meant I would miss the wedding. Am I entitled to a refund for the cost of the flight?

Answer

Air passengers have specific consumer rights under European law when they are denied boarding against their will or their flight is cancelled or delayed

As your flight was cancelled, you are entitled to a choice of:

·         A refund of the cost of your ticket within 7 days or

·         Re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or

·         Re-routing at a later date at your convenience, subject to availability of seat

In your case, as you missed your niece’s wedding, you should be given a refund of the cost of your ticket.

You may also be entitled to compensation because you received less than 7 days’ notice of the cancellation and you were not offered an alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before your original departure time and arriving at your final destination less than 2 hours after your original scheduled time of arrival.

However, if the airline can prove that the cancellation was caused by an extraordinary circumstance which could not have been avoided, even if all reasonable measures had been taken, no compensation is payable. Examples of extraordinary circumstances may include weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, security risks and industrial disputes that affect the operation of the flight.

If you have a complaint about the assistance and compensation you have received for your cancelled flight, you must first contact your airline directly. If you are still not satisfied you should contact the Commission for Aviation Regulation, either online at aviationreg.ie or by phoning (01) 661 1700.

Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.

Know Your Rights has been compiled by Dungloe Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public.   Tel: 0761075430 Address: Dungloe Public Services Centre.

Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000.

Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta: Cúiteamh ar eitilt a cuireadh ar ceal

Iúil 2013

Ceist

Chuir mé eitilt in áirithe ó Bhaile Átha Cliath chun freastal ar bhainis mo neachta sa Fhrainc. Nuair a bhain mé an t-aerfort amach, dúradh liom gur cuireadh an eitilt ar ceal agus nach mbeinn in ann freastal ar an mbainis dá nglacfainn an chéad eitilt eile a bhí ar fáil. An bhfuilim i dteideal aisíocaíocht a fháil ar chostas na heitilte?

Freagra

Tá cearta sonracha tomhaltóra ag aerphaisinéirí faoi dhlí na hEorpa nuair a dhiúltaítear bordáil dóibh i gcoinne a dtola nó nuair a chuirtear a n-eitilt ar ceal nó nuair a chuirtear moill ar a n-eitilt.

Mar gheall gur cuireadh d’eitilt ar ceal, tá an rogha seo a leanas mar theidlíocht agat:

·         Aisíocaíocht chostas do thicéid laistigh de 7 lá, nó

·         Bealach eile a aimsiú chuig do cheann scríbe ag an tráth is luaithe, nó

·         Bealach eile a aimsiú ag tráth níos déanaí a oireann duit, faoi réir fáil bheith ar shuíochán

I do chás féin, mar gheall nár éirigh leat freastal ar bhainis do neachta, ba cheart gur tugadh aisíocaíocht chostas do thicéid duit.

Ina theannta sin, d’fhéadfá bheith i dteideal cúiteamh a fháil mar gheall gur tugadh níos lú ná fógra 7 lá duit ar an gcur ar ceal agus nach ndearnadh eitilt eile a thairiscint duit a fhágann tráth nach mó ná 1 uair an chloig roimh am imeachta na chéad eitilte agus a bhaineann do cheann scríbe amach tráth nach lú ná 2 uair an chloig i ndiaidh am sceidealaithe teachta na chéad eitilte.

Ar a shon sin, más féidir leis an aerlíne a chruthú go raibh cúinsí neamhghnácha mar thoradh ar an gcur ar ceal, nach bhféadfaí a sheachaint, ní gá dóibh aon chúiteamh a íoc, fiú má glacadh gach beart réasúnta. I measc na samplaí de chúinsí neamhghnácha, tá an aimsir, srianta rialú aerthráchta, rioscaí slándála agus agóidí tionsclaíocha a mbíonn tionchar acu ar oibriú na heitilte.

Má tá gearán agat faoin gcabhair agus faoin gcúiteamh a fuair tú maidir le d’eitilt a cuireadh ar ceal, ní mór duit teagmháil a dhéanamh le d’aerlíne go díreach. Mura bhfuil tú sásta, ina dhiaidh sin, ba cheart duit teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Eitlíochta, cibé acu ar líne ag aviationreg.ie nó trí ghlao a chur ar (01) 661 1700.

Tá tuilleadh eolais le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.

Chuir Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh An Clocháin Liath ‘Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta’ le chéile.  Cuireann an tIonad seo seirbhís shaor in aisce agus faoi rún ar fáil don phobal. Teil: 0761075430 Seoladh: Ionad Seirbhisí Pobal An Clocháin Liath.

Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Teileafóin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh, 0761 07 4000.