CAR News Archive

Aer Lingus has advised that there will be flight disruptions today as a result of the ongoing dispute between management and cabin crew regarding the company's new roster system. If your flight is cancelled or delayed because of this dispute, you should be aware of your rights and entitlements under EC Regulation No. 261/ 2004. For a brief summary of these rights and entitlements please see below.

Where a flight is cancelled with no prior notice, an air carrier must offer its passengers the choice between:

• an alternative flight to their destination as soon as possible;
• an alternative flight to the destination at a later date at their convenience; or
• a refund.

Where the passengers chooses the first option (an alternative flight as soon as possible) he/she is also entitled to receive the following whilst waiting:

• two telephone calls, fax messages or emails;
• meals and refreshments free of charge and in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
• accommodation (again free of charge) where 1 or more overnight stays become necessary;
• transport between the airport and place of accomodation.

Where a flight is delayed for certain prescribed timeframes (i.e. at least 2 hours for short haul flights and 3 hours for medium haul flights), passengers are entitled to:

• be informed of their legal entitlements by the airline;
• receive meals and refreshments free of charge and in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
• two telephone calls, fax messages, or emails;
• be provided with accommodation (again free of charge) where 1 or more overnight stays become necessary;
• be provided with transport between the airport and place of accommodation.

The above rights and entitlements apply even though the cause of the flight cancellation/delay was strike-related.

It should be noted that EC Regulation 261/ 2004 also affords passengers a right to compensation unless the air carrier concerned can prove that the cancellation/delay was the result of extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

The Commission for Aviation Regulation is the appropriate enforcement body in respect of those complaints relating to departures from any of the 9 airports in Ireland, and those complaints relating to arrivals into any of these airports from non-EU Countries where the flights are operated by Community-licensed carriers. For a full list of the national enforcement bodies across Europe please click here.

For more comprehensive information regarding your rights and entitlements under EC Regulation No. 261/ 2004 (including information about the applicability of compensation in these situations) please click here. Alternatively please contact us on 1890 787 787.