IAA issues Advice for Passengers affected by power outage in Spain, Portugal and France

If your flight is cancelled or is subject to a long delay by the airline, you are entitled to either a refund or re-routing to your destination and care and assistance while awaiting rerouting. This applies to all airlines departing Ireland and passengers booked with EU airlines arriving into Ireland.

Please contact your airline or visit their live webpage for information on what to do in the event of flight disruptions.

Air Passenger Rights under EU Regulation EC 261 / 2004

Flight Cancellations 

In the event that your flight is cancelled then your air carrier must offer you the choice between the following:

• re-routing as soon as possible;
• re-routing at a later date at your convenience, or;
• a refund.

If you choose the first option (re-routing as soon as possible), then your air carrier must provide you with care and assistance whilst you wait for the alternative flight. Care and assistance comprises:

• meals & refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
• hotel accommodation where an overnight stay becomes necessary;
• transport between the hotel accommodation and the airport;
• 2 free telephone calls/ access to email.

Flight Delays

If your flight is subject to a long delay (over 2/3/4 hours depending on destination), your airline must provide you with the care and assistance described above. In addition, if your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours, it must offer you the choice between:

• continuing with your journey, or;
• a refund of the cost of your ticket.

Please note that it is not possible for passengers to travel and avail of the full refund.

If your airline does not provide the care and assistance described above, passengers should make their own reasonable arrangements and retain all receipts in the process. Passengers are advised to then submit copies of these receipts to their air carrier for reimbursement.

Compensation

No compensation is due beyond care, assistance and re-routing in the circumstances where the event is outside the control of the airlines affected and is deemed an extraordinary circumstance.

If your flight operates but you cannot get to the airport due to ground transportation issues, the airline does not have obligations under the EU Regulation EC 261 / 2004 to you if they are not the cause of the disruption.

Contact us at Consumer Protection