AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation

AirBaltic flight cancellation refund.

AirBaltic flight cancellation compensation. Which of these two you are entitled to? Can you get both? How much is the compensation? Can you demand the refund in full? These are the questions we are going to discuss here. There are a number of reasons why an airBaltic flight can be cancelled. All you need to know is, if your flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you may be entitled to both – a full refund from airBaltic and compensation up to €600.

In case of airBaltic, it applies to most of its flights to and from the EU.

There are two ways you can claim flight cancellation compensation.

1. AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation: EU Regulations

What happens if your airBaltic flight is cancelled?

Can you get a free ticket to the next available flight? Can you request a refund instead? In which situations are you entitled to flight cancellation compensation?

According to EU law, flight cancellation procedures are very specific.

If you are notified of the cancellation 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

If you are notified of the cancellation less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Could you be entitled to airBaltic flight cancellation compensation? 

Yes, if your flight meets the following requirements:

• Cancellation must be due to the fault of airBaltic;
• It must be a last-minute cancellation (not more than 2 weeks before departure);
• Flight must be to/from Europe (EU, UK, EEA).

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) 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.

1.1 Extraordinary Circumstances

Sometimes reasons for flight cancellations are out of the airline’s control.

Situations like these are known as extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, you aren’t entitled to flight cancellation compensation no matter how last-minute is the cancellation.

If your flight is cancelled due to bad weather, natural disaster, national strike, terrorism threat, civil unrest, security issues at the airport, or other similar events, you can’t get flight cancellation compensation from airBaltic. These events are out of the airline’s control, and the airline is not obliged to pay compensation when it has no control over the situation.

What about strikes? Not all strikes are considered extraordinary circumstances. But certain strikes are. If your airBaltic flight has been cancelled due to an airBaltic staff strike, mostly you’ll be getting compensation from airBaltic – because that’s considered the airline’s fault. On the other hand, if it’s a nationwide strike that’s causing a delay or cancellation, it will be considered extraordinary circumstances (something the airline has no control of).

One more thing — make sure to double check what you’re told.

Because not always airlines are telling you the truth. 

When airlines pay compensations, they lose a lot of money. So that’s why airlines tend to avoid paying compensations to affected passengers when they can. And they do it by giving wrong reasons for delays/cancellations and wrongly refusing claims. Be prepared for that when making a claim. Be persistent. Ask for proof. Send reminder emails, contact the airline using social media, etc. But if it seems like a hassle to you, you can always hand over your case to a flight compensation company. Our partners offer such services. 

Just fill in a claim form on this website, and your flight will be checked.

1.2 Right to Care

Your airBaltic flight is cancelled last-minute.

Now you have to wait at the airport for a new flight.

In this case you have a right to receive care from the airline. This means that you can receive certain services for free. As long as the waiting time at the airport is at least 3 hours. What does it mean for you as a passenger?

AirBaltic must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your new flight is leaving only on the next day, a free hotel stay (including free transfer) must be offered.

It doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

1.3 AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Refund, airBaltic Refund Policy

And again, the rules are very specific.

If your airBaltic flight is cancelled, you can ask for either a new flight or full refund. The new flight ticket has to be provided free of charge. If you choose the cancellation refund, it has to be paid in full. These are the laws in the EU. These laws are not affected by airBaltic internal policies (airBaltic refund policy).

It doesn’t matter why your flight is cancelled. You can still get a refund/new flight if your flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.

The refund should be paid within 7 days to your bank account.

You don’t have to agree to an airBaltic voucher refund.

Here’s an excerpt from the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004:

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 5

Cancellation

In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall: (a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 8

Right to reimbursement or re-routing

Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between: (a) – reimbursement within seven days (b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity.

It doesn’t cover cases when you cancel your airBaltic flight.

2. How to Claim airBaltic Compensation?

There are two ways how you can claim airBaltic flight cancellation compensation.

One of them is more time consuming, the other – easier.

One of the options is to contact airBaltic directly. Visit airBaltic’s website to submit a claim for your cancelled flight. You will need to fill in the claim form, providing personal information and information about your flight. Keep in mind that it’s not a quick process. It could take months until you receive your airBaltic compensation. If the airline doesn’t cooperate, send a reminder email, use social media channels to contact the airline, call, etc.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

This is the hassle-free option. You fill in and sign one form, and the rest is handled by a flight compensation company. Register your airBaltic compensation claim and wait for the money to be transferred to your bank account. Our partners offer such services. More details below.

Read more: 

• How to Claim airBaltic Compensation?
• Your airBaltic Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?
• AirBaltic Missed Connection Compensation

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

If everything goes smoothly — 2 to 3 months.

2 to 3 months from the moment you file a compensation claim until your airBaltic flight cancellation compensation is transferred in your bank account. But not always everything goes as planned. The airline isn’t cooperating or even replying. Your compensation claim is wrongly refused. In a situation like this, you need to take additional steps to get compensation the airline owes you. 

It may add at least a couple of months to the whole process.

If you do it yourself and for the first time, it takes longer than that.

3. How Much Can You Claim?

The compensation amount in the EU is up to €600 per person.

Here is how you can calculate your airBaltic compensation:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).

3.1 AirBaltic Voucher Refund or Cash?

What if you are offered an airBaltic voucher instead of compensation?

You don’t have to accept an airBaltic compensation voucher. Airline compensation and refunds have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer. 

Request a bank transfer instead.

4. What Happens If a Flight Is Cancelled?

What to do if your airBaltic flight is cancelled?

First of all, wait for the email from airBaltic. 

The email will contain all the information you need, e.g., how to book a new flight, how to get a refund, etc. If you are already at the airport, and it’s a very last-minute cancellation, follow your airBaltic flight information and wait for the announcement from the airline. Stay at the landside area of the airport. So when the new flight will be announced, you can easily check in for this flight. If your flight leaves only on the next day, you will need to arrange a free hotel stay (you are entitled to this for free).

It’s the airline’s responsibility to handle the situation, no matter why the flight is cancelled. 

In most cases, you’ll be given a choice between a new flight and full refund. If you choose a refund, take into account that you won’t receive it right away. Usually the refunds are made within 7 days.

If the flight is cancelled less than 2 weeks before departure date, and it is due to the airline’s fault, the airline has to pay compensation in addition to refund/new flight.

Do you need to be on time for another flight? If it’s an airBaltic connecting flight, don’t worry. If you miss your connection because your previous flight was delayed or cancelled, airBaltic will book you on another flight free of charge. But if it’s a self transfer (separately booked flights), it’s your responsibility. 

AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation and Refund: FAQ

AirBaltic Refund

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

What is your experience? Have you ever received airBaltic flight cancellation compensation? Do you still have questions about airBaltic compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.