How to claim easyJet compensation now, after Brexit?
United Kingdom left the European Union at the end of January 2020. And, you know what? Almost nothing changed in regards for air passenger rights. When it comes to refunds and flight compensations, the regulations and rules concerning compensations and compensation process haven’t changed much. If before Brexit passengers’ rights were protected by the EU regulations, now passengers’ rights are protected by the Regulation UK261.
This means you are still protected against delays, cancellations and denied boarding. Only now, you have to refer to the UK regulations when making a compensation claim.
Read on to learn more about these rules.
1. Regulation UK261
Regulation UK261 is the new regulation.
It was introduced right after Brexit, and is almost identical to the EU Regulation 261/2004. It’s created to protect air passenger rights.
In this article, we will focus on how to claim easyJet flight delay compensation / cancellation compensation / denied boarding compensation. We will tell you what are the rules and regulations regarding the process of claiming compensation. At the same time, it’s important to mention that these rules are applicable to all UK airlines, both traditional (British Airways) and budget airlines (easyJet). The same rules apply also to charter airlines, such as TUI Airways.
The regulation protects your rights. If your easyJet flight has been cancelled or delayed, or you have been denied boarding, you have a right to receive care from easyJet, and in some situations you also may be entitled to a flight compensation.
There are also situations when the UK regulations apply to non-UK and non-EU airlines. You can see all the possible scenarios here.
Regulation UK261 is almost identical to the old one, European regulation, the EU Regulation 261/2004.
2. EasyJet Flight Compensation
Let’s go a little bit more into details.
Here are the most important things you need to know, the basics. These are the most common types of flight problems that you are protected against.
2.1 EasyJet Flight Delay Compensation
What if your easyJet flight is delayed due to the airline’s fault?
If that has happened, you can get compensation from the airline.
If the delay is caused by something that is within the airline’s control (which isn’t extreme weather conditions or national strike) you may be entitled to compensation. As long as you arrive at your final destination at least 3 hours later than planned.
You can get compensation, if:
- Your easyJet flight is delayed for three hours or more;
- Your easyJet flight is delayed due to the fault of the airline;
- Your flight is to/from Europe or the UK.
Your flight must meet all of these conditions.
You don’t have to be a citizen of the UK to be entitled to UK flight compensation. The Regulation UK261 protects all passengers, including tourists travelling in the UK and with UK airlines.
Read more: EasyJet Flight Delay Compensation
By Europe and EU here on this page we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
2.2 EasyJet Flight Cancellation Compensation
Similarly, you are protected in case of flight cancellation.
You can get compensation, if:
- Your easyJet flight is cancelled last-minute (up to 14 days before departure);
- Your easyJet flight is cancelled due to the fault of the airline;
- Your flight is to/from Europe or the UK.
Your flight must meet all of these conditions.
Read more: EasyJet Flight Cancellation Refund & Compensation
2.3 EasyJet Denied Boarding Compensation
When denied boarding happens?
To ensure that there are no empty seats at take off, often airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane. Overbooking is a common practice in the aviation industry. However, there are situations when all or most of the passengers who bought tickets show up for the flight. That’s when someone gets denied boarding due to overbooking.
There are two types of denied boarding:
- Voluntary denied boarding — a passenger may be asked to give up their seat in exchange for a new flight and compensation in the form of vouchers or cash.
- Involuntary denied boarding — when a passenger is not given a choice and is involuntarily denied boarding.
Whenever a passenger is not is given a choice, the airline is obliged to pay denied boarding compensation. Apart from that, the airline still has to take the passenger to its destination.
Read more: EasyJet Flight Overbooking Compensation
Extraordinary Circumstances
Sometimes you aren’t entitled to compensation.
For example, if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to extreme weather conditions, threats to airport security or major international airport staff strike, then you can’t get any flight compensation from easyJet. These situations are called “extraordinary circumstances” — situations that are out of the airline’s control. Extraordinary circumstances are exempt from the compensation law. However, you still have a right to receive care from the airline. Yes, even if your flight is delayed or cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances, you still have a right to some services (more on that below).
3. Right to Care
There is some sort of problem with your flight.
Because of this, you need to wait at the airport until the next available flight departs. Sometimes it’s a few hour delay, other times you have to wait 12+ hours. Whenever that happens, keep in mind, that you have a right to receive care from easyJet. Yes, even if it’s a budget airline like easyJet, even then you are protected.
You are entitled to receive certain services for free even if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.
Here’s what you can get:
- Free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time,
- Free hotel accommodation, if a stay of one or more nights is necessary,
- Two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes.
4. How to Claim EasyJet Compensation?
How to claim for easyJet compensation?
There are two ways how you can do it. The process is the same for flight delay, cancellation and denied boarding compensation (overbooking). It doesn’t matter with what UK/EU airline you are flying with, and what is the price of your ticket — everyone is equally protected, and the process is mostly the same in all situations.
1. Contact the airline yourself. Use the contact form on their website, and request a compensation. Make sure you mention your rights and quote the Regulation UK261. Keep in mind that this process may take months. Be ready for negotiations and even refusal. Make sure you have all the necessary information about your flight.
2. Hand over your case to professionals.
This is the easiest of the two options that you have.
If you don’t want any hassle, work with our partners — a flight compensation company. In this case, everything is done by them, on your behalf. All you have to do is to fill in a single form, the compensation claim form. You do it once, and then just wait.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: How to Claim EasyJet Compensation?
4.1 How Long Does It take?
Usually the whole process takes about 2 or 3 months.
If you are submitting a claim yourself, it may take longer than that. You may be denied compensation even if it’s due, and, in this case, you need to take your case to court or work with a government agency working with cases like these. This adds at least a couple of months to the whole process.
4.2 How Far Back Can You Claim?
It depends on the laws of the country you are flying from.
Most countries in Europe allow you to claim compensation even if the disruption was 2 or 3 years ago. However, we would suggest not to wait and submit a claim as soon as you arrive.
4.3 How Much Can You claim?
Flight compensation depends on the distance of your flight.
When your destination is within the EU/UK:
£220
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1500 km
£350
If the distance of your flight is between 1500 – 3500 km
When your destination is outside the EU/UK:
£220
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1500 km
£350
If the distance of your flight is between 1500 – 3500 km
£520
If the distance of your flight is more than 3500 km
There’s one exception. If the distance of your flight is greater than 3,500 kilometres, and you reach your destination 3 or 4 hours later than planned (not more than 4 hours), you will receive €300 instead of €600 (50% of the full compensation amount). If the delay is longer than 4 hours, you will get full compensation of €600.
Featured photo by freestocks.org from Pexels