Fighting for Your Passenger Rights

I’ve been around the world and have travelled on all sorts of transport – from tuk-tuks whisking me around Bangkok and 4x4s juddering through Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, to the over-in-a-flash, smooth ride of the Eurotunnel to Paris or a leisurely sail off the Monterey Peninsula. The philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “Life is a journey, not a destination” and this quote often gets applied to travel. I totally agree when it comes to adventures and experiencing new ways to get around, but I really don’t think I’d wax lyrical about my ‘journey’ when I’m stuck in an airport, waiting to find out what’s happened to my flight. This unfortunately has become part of the experience of travelling – yes, the world has become more accessible, but to see it, you often have to hop on a plane.

When flying there are a multitude of things that can go wrong. I’ve experienced excruciating delays, maddening last-minute cancellations and – one of the most infuriating! – denied boarding. Don’t even get me started on the amount of times I’ve had to wait days for my luggage to turn up! So, yes, we know not every aspect of travelling is romantic and exhilarating, but that’s not going to stop any of us, is it? And, really, it’s not all doom and gloom – even when you find yourself in one of the unfortunate situations above, there is hope.

So, we’ve established that when travelling by plane you’re not guaranteed a trouble-free journey. What’s important is to know what to do when trouble arises – then you can deal with the situation at hand, without totally losing it. The first good news is that you may be entitled to compensation – up to 600 EUR in fact - the second good news is that you don’t have to tackle the airline on your own. I don’t think any of my fellow travellers know the ins and outs of passenger rights – why would they? It’s complicated and isn’t remotely what you want to think about when planning your trip. But I will say this – if you’re aware of a few basics, this will get you a long way.

Okay, so what about that compensation? Take a look at the checklist below to see when you can claim:

• Flight route: When flying within or from the EU, you’re covered. Also, when flying into the EU, as long as it’s with a European airline.
• Delay: Arrival at your destination 3 hours or more after schedule.
• Cancellation: You’re informed about your flight getting cancelled 14 days or less before the scheduled departure.
• Denied boarding: You are bumped from a flight because the airline has overbooked.
• Responsibility: The airline could have predicted or prevented the situation.

There are a few more points to consider when it comes to making a claim against the airline. Let’s face it, airlines are huge companies with extensive legal teams behind them, so it’s daunting for most people to go up against them. Even when you’ve had an absolute nightmare of a journey, it’s easy to ask, “is it really worth it?”, put it down to the unpredictable nature of travelling, and move on. But, as I said before, you don’t have to go it alone – there are companies out there who will help you fight for your rights and you don’t have to worry about getting tangled up in a pricey legal battle with the airline. MYFYLRIGHT is one such company and you can firstly check for free if you have a claim on their website, simply by filling in your flight number and date. If you do have a claim, their team of travel experts can then assess your case, predict how much commission you’re entitled to, and will even deal with the courts if necessary. And you can sit back in the comfort of your own home, stress-free. What’s really great is you don’t have to worry about the cost – a commission is charged only if your case is successful.

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking that it doesn’t apply to you – sure, your flight was cancelled, but that was last year so it’s far too late to do anything about it. Well, actually, depending on the situation, you may still have a claim. MYFLYRIGHT don’t just help you with your case, they also provide all the information you need on their site so you know where you stand and can find out about claim deadlines, the different rules for claiming compensation, as well as up-to-date information on current flights. If you still have questions, just drop them a line on their chat service and they’ll be there to give you a hand.

As an experienced traveller who flies frequently, I know how something going wrong with a flight can affect an entire trip – sometimes even ruin it. I’m also familiar with that feeling of dread at the thought of trying to understand complicated legal speak and attempting to navigate my way through the world of passenger rights, so it’s a relief to know there’s an easier way. MYFLYRIGHT are there to simplify the process from start to finish, saving you time, a whole lot of frustration, and money.

So, next time you find yourself staring at the departure board in despair, don’t forget you can fight for your passenger rights with ease.

This is a contribution from one of our contributing writers.