If you have to wait at the airport, you have a right to care.
In most cases, this means free food and free hotel accommodation.
Should your airBaltic flight be delayed or cancelled at the last minute, or if there are changes to your schedule, you have a right to certain free services. If your delay extends to 3 hours or more, you can expect to be provided with meals and beverages at no charge. If there is an overnight delay, airBaltic should provide you with a free hotel stay.
Right to Care From airBaltic
European legislation provides protection to airline passengers.
According to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, passengers traveling on European airlines are entitled to specific protections. It’s important to note that these laws also extend to certain non-European airline flights. With this in mind, airBaltic ensures that care is provided for all of its flights to and from the European Union.
If you are stuck at the airport due to flight disruption, you have a right to care.
Short Delays (3+ Hours)
Here’s what you can expect: complimentary food and beverages.
When your delay reaches the three-hour mark during the day, airBaltic is obligated to provide you with food and beverages at no cost. You are also entitled to make two phone calls, send emails, or fax for free. These services are provided through vouchers.
Long Delays (Overnight)
Here’s what you can expect: complimentary food, beverages, accommodation, and airport transfer.
When delays extend into the night, airBaltic ensures your comfort with free hotel accommodation, airport transfers, meals, and drinks. If you’ve not been informed about these arrangements, remember to reach out to airBaltic at your earliest convenience.
How to Get Free Food and Free Hotel Accommodation?
In the event of an extended delay at the airport, airBaltic should automatically provide you with amenities including free meals, hotel accommodation and airport transfers. You do not need to request these; they should be readily available to you during your wait.
If you are not informed about this by the airline, it is crucial that you make your way to the airBaltic customer service desk to inquire about them. The airline, under European law, is obligated to provide these services free of charge for flight delays, flight cancellations, denied boarding and missed connection due to delay or cancellation.
On rare occasions, when the airline fails to organize these services for you, you may need to make the arrangements yourself. Make sure to retain all receipts and proof of purchase related to food, beverages, transportation, and hotel stays. You can then submit these for reimbursement to airBaltic, including a detailed account of your expenses during the delay. It is important to provide all necessary bills, receipts and information to facilitate a smooth reimbursement process.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Before we proceed, let’s define the term.
What Are Extraordinary Circumstances?
Extraordinary circumstances are events that are outside the control of the airline.
These events too are causing flight delays, cancellations, or changes. Extraordinary circumstances include severe weather conditions, strikes not associated with the airline, security risks, political unrest, or hidden manufacturing defects that could affect flight safety.
In such cases, despite the inconvenience, the airline is not required to provide compensation because they are exempt under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
However, you still have the right to care. You can get free meals and a free hotel stay in the event of flight delays or cancellations because of extraordinary circumstances.
Are Technical Problems Considered Extraordinary Circumstances?
Technical problems do not, in the majority of cases, fall under extraordinary circumstances as per Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The regulation clarifies that technical issues that arise due to the normal operation of the airline are not considered extraordinary, since these are within the control of the airline.
These could be routine maintenance or minor repairs. Such issues are normal duties of an airline and hence cannot be used as an excuse to avoid providing compensation or care to passengers.
However, if it’s an unexpected manufacturing defect that poses a safety risk to the flight, this may be regarded as extraordinary. These situations are infrequent, pose an immediate threat to flight safety, and are outside the airline’s regular technical operations.
Right to Care in Extraordinary Circumstances
Even in extraordinary circumstances, passengers have a right to care.
Even though airBaltic may not be required to compensate for delays or cancellations due to forces beyond their control, they are still required to ensure your comfort during any waiting period. Provision of food, drinks, and accommodation in the event of significant delays falls under this mandate.
The same goes for providing alternative transportation in case the flight is cancelled – you are entitled to this.
Right to Care: FAQ
In this section, we will address some of the most commonly asked questions about passengers’ right to care during flight delays and cancellations with airBaltic.
What Is the Right to Care?
The right to care refers to the obligations airlines have towards their passengers in case of flight delays, overbooking (denied boarding) and flight cancellations. Under European law, airlines are required to ensure passengers’ comfort during these circumstances, which includes providing free meals, refreshments, and accommodation in the case of significant delays.
How Do I Get Care From the Airline if My Flight Is Delayed?
If your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, airBaltic should automatically provide you with amenities such as free meals and refreshments, and necessary accommodation in the case of overnight delays.
If these services are not offered, approach the airBaltic customer service counter at the airport to inquire about them. Alternatively, you can personally cover the cost of the services and then file a claim for reimbursement at a later time. The sooner you do the latter, the better.
Do I Have the Right to Care If My Flight Is Cancelled?
Yes, if your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to the right to care.
This means airBaltic is required to provide you with meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if necessary), as well as an alternative method of transportation to your destination. If the cancellation is due to the airline’s fault, you also have a right to flight cancellation compensation.
Read more: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation: Your Rights
Are Extraordinary Circumstances an Exception to the Right to Care?
No, even in the event of extraordinary circumstances, which are situations beyond the control of the airline, the right to care still applies.
This means that even if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions, security risks, or labor strikes, you are still entitled to free meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if the delay is overnight).
How Do I Request Reimbursement If I Had to Arrange for My Accommodation and Meals?
If you had to arrange for your meals, accommodation, or airport transfers due to airBaltic’s failure to do so, keep all receipts and proof of purchase. You can submit these, along with a detailed account of your expenses during the delay, to airBaltic for reimbursement.
Please note that this policy only applies to essential expenses, not anything else. Don’t expect to spend large sums on extravagant meals and get reimbursement from the airline.
Does the Right to Care Apply to All airBaltic Flights?
The right to care applies to all airBaltic flights to and from Europe.
Since airBaltic is an EU airline, the right to care under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to all of its flights both departing from and arriving in Europe.
However, it’s crucial to note that with non-European airlines, this regulation only applies to flights that are departing from Europe. Flights on non-European airlines that are arriving in Europe from other parts of the world are not covered under this European law.
Does All Of This Apply Only to Europeans?
No, the right to care applies to all passengers on airBaltic flights regardless of their nationality.
The laws that give passengers the right to care are Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261, which were created by the European Union and UK government. These regulations state that any airline operating in Europe must provide care and compensation for affected passengers when applicable. This means that the right to care applies to all passengers on airBaltic flights, regardless of their nationality.
The only exception is in the case of non-European airlines, where this regulation applies only to flights departing from Europe and not those arriving in Europe from other parts of the world.
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.