Travelers have the right to receive compensation from airlines, in certain situations, but only under one condition. A representative of the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) explained what those who want to recover their money must do.
Who is entitled to compensation from airlines
Travelers have the right to claim compensation from airlines in the following situations: flight cancellation less than two weeks before the scheduled date; the prolonged delay of a flight, in principle over three hours; respectively the refusal to board.
According to European legislation, compensations can be worth: 250 euros, for all flights of 1,500 kilometers or less; 400 euros, for all intra-Community flights over 1,500 kilometers and for all flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers; respectively 600 euros – for all flights that do not fall within the aforementioned rules.
In one of the mentioned situations, airline passengers have the right to receive money from the companies from which they bought flight tickets. But, according to representatives of the National Consumer Protection Authority (ANPC), this is only possible if travelers submit a written complaint to the airline or, depending on each situation, to the ANPC.
Those who do not want to ask for compensation directly from the airline can contact companies specialized in recovering compensation in case of canceled or delayed flights. Many times, they charge commissions approaching 50% of the compensation value.
Condition to receive compensation from airlines
More precisely, according to the general director of the ANPC Paul Anghel, travelers have the right to compensation from the air carrier only if they ask it to grant this right in writing, according to the policy of the economic operators.
Alternatively, the director within the ANPC recommended, when the situation allows, filing a complaint with the ANPC as well. However, only economic operators based in Romania can be complained to the National Authority for Consumer Protection.
For those based outside Romania, respectively in another state of the European Union plus Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, consumers can contact the European Consumer Center.
In addition, Romanians cannot submit complaints to ANPC if they have not first tried to resolve the situation amicably, directly with the economic operator who sold them a good or provided a service.
