Flight Delay - Rights and Compensation?

Stinicker

My friend was due to fly to Lanzarote this afternoon with the GF on a charter through Falcon (I think), anyway his flight was delayed by 2 hrs 50 mins and he's fuming as they have lost the whole first day.

They had originally booked for a morning flight but the agents rang them to tell them it was shoved back to the afternoon about a week ago and with this evenings delay they have lost all of today.

What I'm wondering is would he be entitled to any compensation for this? From either the Airline, intermediary (Falcon) or travel insurance company? Or would this only apply if it was cancelled.

I fly dozens of times but have never gotten screwed around with like this so have no experience. Wasn't there some rules about this highlighted after the Volcano last year.

aidan_walsh

http://www.aviationreg.ie/Delay/Default.210.html

Delay

Whether a delay comes within the terms of the Regulation depends upon the distance of the route involved and the delay itself must be at least 2 hours. The Regulation shall apply to:

• delays of two hours or more in the case of flights of 1500km or less;
• delays of three hours or more in the case of all intra-Community flights of more than 1500k, and of all other flights between 1500 and 3500km;
• delays of four hours or more in the case of all other flights.

The operating air carrier must provide care and assistance in the event of such delays. This must consist of the following:

• Information: the air carrier shall provide a written notice setting out the rules for assistance in line with the Regulation. In addition, a sign must be displayed at the check-in area referring to air passenger rights under the Regulation.
• Meals and refreshments shall be offered free of charge and in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Hotel accommodation shall be provided where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, as well as transport between the hotel and the place of accommodation.
• Communications: passengers shall be offered free of charge two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or emails.
• Reimbursement: where the flight delay is at least five hours, passengers shall be offered reimbursement within seven days of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought for the part or parts of the journey not completed. If however, the purpose of the journey is no longer attainable, then reimbursement must be offered for the part of the journey already made, e.g. a flight from Cork to Dublin will be reimbursed if the purpose of the flight was to travel on a connecting flight to London for a function at which attendance is no longer possible due to the delay. In addition there is a right to a return flight to the original point of departure where relevant. The right to reimbursement applies where the passenger decides not to travel as a result of the delay – it is not possible to travel and also claim reimbursement under the Regulation.

If the airline is unable to provide the above provisions free of charge, the airline should reimburse passengers for expenses incurred.

Wolfram Alpha put the distance between Dublin and Lanzarote as 2,769km so it sounds like they were just outside the 3 hours set out by the clause above.