Compensation and assistance in the event of denied boarding, cancellation and flight delays
In our company we do everything possible for your journey to be made in the best conditions and to comply with your rights. We wish to excuse ourselves in advance for any annoyances caused if you have experienced any of these situations.
The rights of passengers are regulated by Regulation (EC) 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 11 February 2004, which regulates the compensation and assistance to air passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or long flight delays. This document is to inform you of your rights in each situation.
It applies to all passengers departing from an airport in a Member State of the European Union subject to the dispositions of the Treaty. It also applies to passengers who depart from a third country and arrive at an airport in a Member State subject to the dispositions of the Treaty when the air carrier providing the flight is of the Union, unless they have the attention of that third country.
For this, passengers must have a confirmed reservation on the affected flight and must check in (except in the event of cancellation) before the indicated time or, by default, at least 60 minutes before the scheduled flight departure time.
It does not apply to passengers travelling free or with a reduced price ticket that is not (directly or indirectly) available to the public nor when a combined journey is cancelled for reasons other than the cancellation of the flight.
1. Denied boarding
In the event of denied boarding the carrier will ask for volunteers to give up their reservations in exchange for benefits agreed between both parties (passenger and air carrier providing the flight).
If there are insufficient volunteers, the carrier may deny boarding to passengers against their wishes, for which it must compensate them and provide them with assistance as described below.
Passengers with reduced mobility and their companion and unaccompanied minors will have priority.
Passengers who have been denied boarding for a justified reason (reasons of health or security, lack of travel documents, etc.) will not have the right to any type of compensation and/or assistance.
1.1 Assistance, alternative transport and refund
Passengers may choose between the following options:
- Travel to the final destination in comparable transport conditions as quickly as possible or at a later date at the passenger’s convenience (according to available seats).
- Refund in seven days of the entire cost of the ticket at the price for which it was purchased (for the parts not travelled or those travelled if there is no longer any reason for the journey) together with, as relevant, the return flight to the starting point as quickly as possible. The refund will be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank transfer, cheque or, by agreement signed by the passenger, a voucher for travel or other services.
Passengers denied boarding will also be offered:
- Sufficient food and refreshments (according to the necessary waiting time).
- Two telephone calls, telex or fax messages or e-mails.
- If an overnight stay is necessary, lodging and transport between the airport and the place of lodging.
1.2 Compensation
Passengers will receive the relevant compensation immediately in the event of denied boarding:
Distance | Compensation |
---|---|
a) Flights of up to 1.500 km | 250€ |
b) Inter-community flights of more than 1.500 km and flights between 1.500 and 3.500 km | 400€ |
c) Rest of flights | 600€ |
The distances are calculated taking into account the last destination to which the passenger will arrive with a delay in relation to the scheduled time due to the denied boarding.
The compensation will be reduced by 50% in the following cases:
Distance | Delay time |
---|---|
a) Flights of up to 1.500 km | Less than 2 hours |
b) Inter-community flights of more than 1.500 km and flights between 1.500 and 3.500 km | Less than 3 hours |
c) Rest of flights | Less than 4 hours |
The compensation will be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank transfer, cheque or, by agreement signed by the passenger, a voucher for travel or other services.
2. Cancellation of flight
In the event of the cancellation of a flight, the company must offer an explanation of the possible transport alternatives.
In addition, priority will always be given to passengers with reduced mobility and their companion and to unaccompanied minors.
2.1 Assistance, alternative transport and refund
The carrier will offer assistance to passengers whose flights have been cancelled; they can choose between the following options:
a) Travel to the final destination in comparable transport conditions as quickly as possible or at a later date at the passenger’s convenience (according to available seats).
b) Refund in seven days of the entire cost of the ticket at the price for which it was purchased (for the parts not travelled or those travelled if there is no longer any reason for the journey) together with, as relevant, the return flight to the starting point as quickly as possible.
The refund will be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank transfer, cheque or, by agreement signed by the passenger, a voucher for travel or other services.
The following will also be offered free:
- Sufficient food and refreshments (according to the necessary waiting time).
- Two telephone calls, telex or fax messages or e-mails.
- If an overnight stay is necessary, lodging and transport between the airport and the place of lodging.
2.2 Compensation
Passengers have the right to compensation by the operating air carrier in accordance with the compensation table described in point 1.2, unless the following cases:
- If the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
- They were informed at least two weeks beforehand with respect to the departure time.
- They were informed between two weeks and seven days before the scheduled departure and they were offered alternative transport that allowed them to depart no more than two hours before the scheduled departure and arrive less than four hours late with respect to the scheduled arrival time.
- They were informed less than seven days beforehand with respect to the scheduled departure and offered another flight that allowed them to leave no more than one hour before the scheduled departure time and arrive less than two hours late with respect to the scheduled arrival time.
3. Flight delays
The air carrier will offer passengers the relevant assistance according to the delay time shown in the following table:
Distance | Delay time |
---|---|
a) Flights of up to 1.500 km | 2 hours or more |
b) Inter-community flights of more than 1.500 km and flights between 1.500 and 3.500 km | 3 hours or more |
c) Rest of flights | 4 hours or more |
3.1 Assistance and refund
In these cases, the assistance offered will be:
- Sufficient food and refreshments (according to the necessary waiting time).
- Two telephone calls, telex or fax messages or e-mails.
- If an overnight stay is necessary, lodging and transport between the airport and the place of lodging.
When passengers arrive at their destination three hours or more after the time of arrival initially scheduled, they shall be entitled to the following compensations:
Distance | Compensation |
---|---|
a) Flights of up to 1.500 km | 250€ |
b) Inter-community flights of more than 1.500 km and flights between 1.500 and 3.500 km | 400€ |
c) Rest of flights | 600€ |
Unless the causes of the delay were due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken and which are beyond the effective control of the airline.
* Judgment of the European Court of Justice of 23 October 2012.
If the delay is greater than five hours, passengers will have the rights to a refund in days of the entire cost of the ticket at the price for which it was purchased (for the parts not travelled or those travelled if there is no longer any reason for the journey) together with, as relevant, the return flight to the starting point as quickly as possible. The refund will be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank transfer, cheque or, by agreement signed by the passenger, a voucher for travel or other services.
Passengers with reduced mobility and their companion and unaccompanied minors will have priority and special attention.
4. Change of class
If the passenger is accommodated on a fight in a lower class than that for which he/she paid the ticket, the relevant percentage of the price of the fight ticket will be refunded (according to the table) in seven days.
Distance | Refund |
---|---|
a) Flights of up to 1.500 km | 30% |
b) Inter-community flights of more than 1.500 km and flights between 1.500 and 3.500 km | 50% |
c) Rest of flights | 75% |
*Except fights between a Member State and French overseas territories.
The refund will be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank transfer, cheque or, by agreement.
We hope that with this document we have complied with your right to information. If you wish, you can contact our Customer Service:
Binter – Customer Service
900 533 256 - (+34) (922) o (928) 32 77 46
www.bintercanarias.com
We also inform you that the national organisation responsible for compliance with Regulation (EC) 261/04 in Spain is the State Air Security Agency:
AESA – User Attention Section
Paseo de la Castellana, 112 - CP 28046 - Madrid.
www.seguridadaerea.gob.es
The responsible body in each EU country can be found at:
https://transport.ec.europa.eu/index_en