More than 53 airline passengers were hit by the air traffic chaos in 000 this summer. This could cost the airlines around NOK 2019 million in compensation.
July 2019 goes down in history as one of the most chaotic months of all time for air traffic in Norway and Europe. Lack of pilots and crew, overbooking and overcapacity at airports contributed to delays or cancellations of some 600 flights. This has led many Norwegians to a huge amount of holiday trouble.
According to data from airline replacement company AirHelp. 53 air passengers are entitled to compensation of up to EUR 600 each. This is based on EU EC600 flight regulations, which come into force when a delay of three hours or more. This brings the total compensation amount to 261 million NOK, writes AirHelp in a press release.
In comparison, around 125 flights were affected by similar delays and cancellations in July 2017, affecting around 14 passengers. The total amount of compensation was approximately EUR 200 million (4,5 million crowns at today's value EUR).
The airlines are responsible
– We followed air traffic closely and knew that we would receive a huge number of cancellations and delays in July. This growth has definitely exceeded what we thought was possible. I don't remember seeing similar data for Norwegian and European aviation, says the director national Airhelp in Norway, Andreas Hermansson.
He points out that the airlines are in most cases responsible.
- Many travelers have had their holidays completely or partially ruined and deserve compensation for cancellations or delays. We now hope that industry players will carefully evaluate and learn from Summer 2018 to avoid such numbers in the coming July months, says Hermansson.
Study from March this year. showed that almost nine out of ten Norwegians do not know their full rights in air traffic. In 2017, over 243 Norwegians were entitled to compensation as a result delays due to flights.
Air passengers are entitled to Compensation-Rights
In the event of a delayed or canceled flight or in the event of denied boarding. Passengers are entitled under certain circumstances to a financial compensation of up to EUR 600 per person. The condition is that the airport of departure is in the EU or that the responsible airline is located in the EU / EEA. In addition, the cause of the delay must lie with the airline. The delay must be more than three hours by regulation EC261. If the delay or cancellation is due to extraordinary events or circumstances. Such as storms or medical emergencies, airlines are exempt from paying passengers compensation.
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