AirBaltic Missed Connection Compensation

AirBaltic missed connection compensation.

What is the potential compensation? What is the procedure?

Should you face the unfortunate event of missing an airBaltic connecting flight, you may be entitled to compensation. This compensation varies based on the distance of your journey. Factors such as your nationality, the cost of your ticket and your travel insurance status do not impact your potential for compensation. airBaltic, as an EU airline, is obligated to adhere to EU regulations, which means if compensation is appropriate, the airline is bound to pay.

You can either file the claim on your own or seek assistance from professionals.

1. EU Missed Flight Connection Compensation

Can you claim airBaltic missed connection compensation?

In the event that you miss your airBaltic connecting flight, you could be eligible for compensation. The applicable regulations in such cases are straightforward.

1.1 Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay: Compensation

If a delay on your first airBaltic flight causes you to miss your connecting flight, you may be entitled to compensation under EU regulations.

If the delay is the responsibility of the airline, you are eligible to claim up to €600 if your flight is departing from or arriving in Europe. As airBaltic is an EU airline, these rules are applicable to all airBaltic flights within Europe, and those going to or from Europe. From a legal perspective, “airBaltic missed connection compensation” is the same as airBaltic flight delay compensation.

To be eligible for airBaltic flight compensation, you must arrive at your end destination at least 3 hours later than scheduled. In summary, you can become eligible for compensation if:

• The delay is 3+ hours;
• The delay is due to airBaltic;
• The flight is to/from Europe.

The same rules apply to airBaltic connecting flights. Remember, in this instance, your destination is your final destination, not any layover points.

Let’s look at an example. You’re flying with airBaltic from Riga to New York with a layover in Reykjavik, Iceland. Your final destination is New York, with Reykjavik simply being a stopover. If your arrival in New York is delayed by 3 hours or more due to airBaltic’s fault, you are entitled to missed connection flight compensation for the entire “Riga – New York” trip. Even if the second leg of your journey is operated by another airline (in this case, Icelandair). The laws apply to codeshare flights as well.

Don’t forget to submit a compensation claim!

1.2 Missing a Connecting Flight Due to Cancellation

If one of your flights is cancelled, leading to you missing your connecting flight and arriving at your final destination with a delay of 3 or more hours, you may claim compensation from airBaltic, similar to the process for flight delays.

This applies if the reason for the cancellation is the fault of the airline, and you’re traveling to or from Europe. The compensation amount can be as much as €600 and is determined by the distance of your flight.

To sum it up, you can get missed connection flight compensation if:

• Your previous flight is cancelled (or delayed) due to the fault of airBaltic;
• You arrive at your destination 3+ hours late;
• The flight is to/from/within Europe.

How to get flight compensation from airBaltic?

Make sure to submit a compensation claim! If you do nothing, the airline will do nothing.

1.3 What About Self-Transfer Flights With airBaltic?

Should you independently book separate flights for your journey (i.e., self-transfer), the regulations mentioned previously do not apply. In such scenarios, if one of your flights is delayed or cancelled, you won’t be eligible for compensation for the other flight.

For instance, if you’ve booked a flight with airBaltic and another with Ryanair, and airBaltic cancels their flight, you may be entitled to compensation for the airBaltic flight that was cancelled. However, airBaltic is not accountable for your Ryanair flight and will not offer any assistance if you miss it due to their cancellation.

It’s crucial to bear this in mind when booking separate flights.

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.

2. Extraordinary Circumstances

These are conditions that are out of airBaltic’s control.

In such scenarios, you can’t get compensation. Instances like severe weather disturbances or a pandemic fall under unforeseen events. If you have doubts about any information relayed, it is advised to verify it. To prevent misinformation from the airline, it’s important to cross-verify all details about compensations and reimbursements.

Alternatively, you can consult the services of a flight compensation agency to scrutinize your case and ensure that you’re not being misguided. For instance, mechanical malfunctions of the aircraft are typically the airline’s responsibility, and not deemed as unforeseen events, despite some airlines stating otherwise.

Situations that are not extraordinary circumstances:

• Most technical glitches with the airplane;
• Most of airBaltic staff strikes;
• AirBaltic staffing deficiencies.

3. Right to Care

You are have a right to care if you are stranded at the airport.

If your flight with airBaltic is delayed or cancelled, and it results in you missing a connecting flight, airBaltic is required to provide you with assistance as you wait for the next flight. Moreover, in situations of missed connections, airBaltic is obligated to offer a free alternative flight, provided it wasn’t due to your error.

In the context of assistance, if your wait time at the airport extends beyond three hours, you are entitled to care from airBaltic.

• After 3 hours of waiting airBaltic should provide you with complimentary meals and beverages in proportion to your wait time, along with two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes.
• In an event of an overnight delay, free hotel accommodation is also to be provided (+ free airport transfer).

4. How to Claim airBaltic Flight Compensation?

How to claim airBaltic missed connection compensation?

It’s a EU compensation, and there are two ways to claim for EU flight compensation.

The first option involves contacting airBaltic directly. Visit their website to claim compensation for your delayed or cancelled flight. Please note, this method can be time-consuming, and you might need to negotiate with airBaltic to secure the compensation you’re entitled to. Having proof to show how much later you arrived at your final destination can prove to be useful.

The alternative, and more straightforward method, is to employ legal representation.

Under this scheme, you’ll have legal experts managing all elements of your claim. Our partners offer these services – details below.

4.1 How Long Does It Take?

What is the usual time taken to receive compensation from an airline?

Generally, it could take a minimum of a few months to receive compensation.

If your case needs to be referred to a national enforcement agency or court, the process may take an additional couple of months, and in some instances, even an additional six months.

Numerous factors can influence the duration it takes to receive compensation. If an airline swiftly responds to your claim and consents to pay compensation, the process can be accelerated. However, if the airline disputes your claim, it might take longer, and you might have to endure an extended legal process to get compensated.

Moreover, the intricacy of your case might impact the amount of time it takes to obtain compensation. Every case is unique.

5. How Much Can You Claim?

The compensation sum is fixed and varies from €250 to €600.

Here is how you can calculate the amount of your airBaltic flight compensation:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the distance is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later, you are entitled to compensation of €300, not €600. If the delay is longer than 4 hours, you will get full compensation of €600.

5.1 AirBaltic Voucher Refund or Cash?

There’s a chance that airBaltic might propose a voucher instead of cash compensation.

Owing to the COVID-19 crisis, many airlines were offering vouchers as an alternative to monetary compensation for flight delays and cancellations.

However, you can decline a voucher and choose a bank transfer compensation instead. It’s crucial to be aware that airlines are legally obliged to offer compensation and refunds in cash or via bank transfer, and not in the form of vouchers or discount codes, as per European law.

6. What Is a Connecting Flight?

A connecting flight refers to a travel itinerary where you take multiple flights to reach your end location, stopping over at one or more airports along the way. In other words, you’re not directly journeying from point A to point B; instead, you’ll stop at point C, and sometimes, even more points. The period spent at the airport between flights is known as a layover, and if it extends beyond 24 hours, it transforms into a stopover.

Travellers often choose connecting flights when a direct flight is not available, or it is costlier than the connecting option.

Connecting flights can be classified into two categories:

1. airline-protected transfers,
2. self transfer flights.

6.1 Airline-Protected Transfer

How can you know if you’re on an airline-protected transfer?

1. You’ve booked a connecting flight, via either the airline or a third-party service such as Kiwi, Expedia, or eDreams.
2. Your entire journey includes two or more flights and the airline has given it a single booking reference number. Remember that it should be the airline booking reference number, not the travel agent booking reference number — that’s a key distinction. By inputting your booking reference number on the airline’s website, you can check and manage the complete trip.

6.2 Self Transfer

How can you identify if your flight is a self-transfer?

1. If you have numerous consecutive flights booked separately, you’re on a self-transfer flight.
2. If each flight possesses its own reservation number, it is a self-transfer flight.
3. If you paid for each flight separately, it’s classified as a self-transfer.

Distinguishing between self transfer and airline-protected connecting flights can be challenging. A useful tip is to check the tickets. If each flight has a separate reservation number or booking reference, it’s possibly a self transfer. Online travel agencies like Kiwi or Expedia often also specify whether the flight is a self transfer.

7. Missed Connection

The scenario of failing to board your subsequent flight is known as a missed connection.

This might happen if you’re late or if your prior flight was unexpectedly delayed or cancelled. If the period between flights or connection time is minimal, like 1 or 1.5 hours, it can be easy to miss your connecting flight.

Remember, in a fair number of cases, airlines provide support to passengers who fail to make their connection. If you missed your connecting flight due to flight delay or cancellation on your previous flight, the airline will assist you, unless it’s a self transfer (for more info on self-transfers, see above).

If a delay in reaching your destination isn’t too troublesome, being delayed might actually work in your favor as you could qualify for flight compensation of up to 600 euros per person.

Cancelled or delayed flight causes missed connection?

7.1 Missed Airline-Protected Transfer

Opting for an airline-protected transfer is often the safest bet for travelers.

Should you fail to make your connecting flight due to circumstances beyond your control, the airline provides protection and assistance.

When flight delays or cancellations lead to missed connections, passengers are safeguarded, and they might even be eligible for compensation. The airline generally reschedules a new flight for you, and offers complimentary hotel accommodation (if the rescheduled flight is on the next day). To resolve the matter, you should get in touch with the airline’s representatives present at the airport.

Bear in mind that under certain situations, compensation might be forthcoming.

What about a refund or compensation?

Usually, it’s not feasible to get a refund for a missed flight.

But, if your flight is covered under EU Regulation 261/2004, you may qualify for missed flight compensation for your entire journey (that’s the same flight delay compensation / flight cancellation compensation).

Remember to make a compensation claim!

7.2 Missed Self-Transfer Flight

A self-transfer involves booking several flights separately.

What happens if your self-transfer connection is missed?

If any single flight in your schedule is postponed by 3 or more hours, cancelled, or if you are denied boarding, you might qualify for compensation concerning that specific flight. But, neither of the airlines involved will be accountable for your total journey or any missed connections.

Example: Suppose you are flying with Ryanair to Riga, known here as “flight 1,” and then have a 3-hour layover before boarding your airBaltic flight to Dubai, labelled here as “flight 2,” neither airline is liable for any missed connection due to a delay or cancellation of flight 1.

If flight 1 is significantly delayed (3+ hours), you might be entitled to compensation from Ryanair. In case of a sudden cancellation, you may be entitled to a replacement flight, refund, and compensation from Ryanair for flight 1, as per ‎Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

But, if you miss your airBaltic flight due to the delay or cancellation, it’s your responsibility to book a new flight to your destination (Dubai, in this case). Neither Ryanair nor airBaltic will offer compensation for flight 2, nor will you receive compensation for the missed connection.

The same applies to the airBaltic flight – flight 2. If it’s delayed or cancelled at the last minute, you may receive compensation for this single flight. However, if it’s cancelled at the last minute and you are scheduled on a flight 2 hours earlier that you cannot make, it is your issue to confront.

If you have insurance for missed flights, reach out to your insurance provider. They might be able to help you, depending on the specifics of your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

AirBaltic Delayed Flight > Missed Connection

Flight Cancellations

Other Situations

Have you ever missed a connection? Was it a connecting flight with airBaltic? Share your experience. Do you have any questions about airBaltic missed connection compensation policies? Ask in the comments.

Featured photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels