Passengers delayed for over three hours to be awarded 250 - 600 Euro

Airport news for Flights,Travel on 01/12/2009.

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The European Court of Justice is of the opinion that passengers that have been stranded for over three hours at airports should be compensated. Compensation is usually given to passengers only if their flight is cancelled. However, this rule might be stretched a little, to even accommodate passengers whose flights will be delayed for three hours and above.

Airline passengers who have been delayed for three hours and above will be liable to receive an amount between 250 and 600 Euro. The same amount is received by a passenger in case his or her flight is cancelled. The European Court of Justice is of the opinion that the loss of time is a hard commodity to put a price on. It believes that passengers that have been stranded for three hours and above face similar situations as compared to travelers whose flights have been cancelled.

Delay of a flight by three hours or more is believed to significantly alter plans made by travelers. Very often it may lead to major problems for the travelers. Also believed by the European Court is that no justification can be given on account of treating delayed passengers different from those whose flight is cancelled.

However, compensation can be refused by the airline on account of extra ordinary circumstances out of their control. But this does not include technical problems that are very likely to occur.

Under existing European policies, passengers can claim full compensation only if a plane is delayed for over five hours or is completely cancelled. Passengers under the five hour rule are also entitled to a meal and a phone call, and are sometimes offered hotel accommodation.

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