GPS glitches, an unmanageable passenger on the flight, an airport closure, fog at the arrival airport, a decision made by the pilot or the Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff, and you are already landing at another airport. What is it that unites all these cases? To put it shortly, the flight was diverted. So farewell to scheduled plans, and hello to possible new expenses. Maybe it is just a small turbulence for your plans, but no need to declare a mayday, huh?
The Basics of Diverted Flight
In European air passenger rights, a diverted flight, where a traveller is transported to an airport different from the one originally stated in their booking, is generally treated with the same legal implications as a cancellation. However, this rule has exceptions that may shift the situation into the category of delay rather than cancellation.
If the airline manages to get you on another flight to your original destination (or to a nearby location) as soon as possible and under comparable travel conditions, or rebooks you to a different airport in the same city or region, the law may treat this as a delay. This was confirmed in a case (C-83/10, Sousa Rodríguez), where the Court highlighted that quick and reasonable rerouting helps reduce the negative impact of changed travel plans on the passenger.
Was Your Flight Disrupted?
Turn your delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight into a compensation up to €600!
Terminology
To better understand flight diversions and their types, here’s some more terminology. A leg of the flight that is routed back to the original arrival destination is called the recovery leg. When you are viewing flight information for a diverted flight, you will see the diversion leg. The recovery leg will be displayed only if available. As a result, the system may show you different information when checking flight information at different times.
Skycop often has to argue with airlines when they reject claims that a flight was delayed by less than three hours. Even airlines don’t always see the most up-to-date information. But when we are informed that a flight did not land where it was scheduled, it helps to prove to the airline to review the case and come to a definitive conclusion.
Situational Palette
Here are a few completely different examples, but what they have in common is that the passengers did not land where they planned.
At the dawn of 2024, passengers on a Ryanair flight from Brussels to Milan were diverted to Milan Bergamo Airport instead of Milan Malpensa Airport due to a runway issue. Since Bergamo is part of the same metropolitan region, passengers were offered bus transfers to Malpensa.
Recent news reported in Germany about a Lufthansa flight with a problem onboard. Despite the disruption, the aircraft was able to operate and reach the final destination, but, nearing Munich, which was its destination, the plane landed in Nuremberg instead. Passengers were offered bus transportation to reach Munich.
In the heap of technical glitches and the quirks of nature, human beings have a “respectable” place. When all the signs point to the idea that the flight will be great, the crew is ready, the weather is amazing, the plane is in perfect condition, a fellow traveller from 11A decides to prove to everyone how much of an uncontrollable element they are, or to portray that their genes are full of the remnants of a Poseidon. In recent years, some passengers have been trying to bring back the fashion of smoking on aircraft, despite all the warnings on board and the crew’s information. The secret game of the chimney sweep ends up being a very sad one, not only for the passengers themselves but for all other decent people who stuck with that “chimney”.
For antisocial behaviour, one lady was not only escorted from a diverted flight, but will have to cover a £15,000 bill as a result of the disruption.
Who Decides to Divert a Flight: Pilot or Air Traffic Control?
The decision to divert a flight from its planned destination to an alternate airport can be made either by the pilot or air traffic control (ATC) personnel all depending on the nature of the situation.
Diversions arise when air traffic controllers determine that continuing to the original destination could pose a risk, for instance, due to airspace congestion, adverse weather at the arrival airport, or emergencies disrupting airport operations. In such cases, ATC will recommend or instruct a diversion and coordinate an alternative route with the flight crew.
On the other hand, pilot-led diversions typically occur when the crew encounters in-flight issues such as deteriorating weather conditions, mechanical malfunctions, or concerns over fuel levels. As the individual responsible for the safety of everyone onboard, the pilot has the authority to initiate a diversion whenever they deem it necessary to ensure a secure outcome.
Was Your Flight Disrupted? Turn your delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight into a compensation up to €600!
Passenger’s Rights
If leaving the aircraft becomes necessary, you will be informed about the situation and provided with alternative rebooking options to reach your final destination. In some cases, you may simply remain at the gate until boarding resumes and the flight continues as planned.
But in case that aircraft landed at a different airport, airlines must take care of you and provide a rebooked flight ticket or cover the cost of the transportation.
The most important thing to understand in this situation is that the final destination is not considered to be your home or hotel, but the airport of arrival indicated on the original ticket.
I remember a case where a client’s flight was diverted to another airport. They got replacement tickets, and they were from yet another airport altogether. The client rented a car to go to the new airport, and the airline refused the request for reimbursement of the car rental bill because it was considered a luxury.
If the reason for the diversion was due to a technical issue with an aircraft or crew working hours running out, and you reach your arriving airport with more than 3 hours of a delay, you are eligible for flight disruption compensation.
To avoid getting lost in all the deadlines and process changes. Submit your claim via www.skycop.com, attach your original flight tickets, and leave a message in the comments section stating that you landed at an airport other than the one you were supposed to. Skycop’s specialists will correctly format your claim and submit it to the airline. Only when the airlines reply will it be clear what caused the diverted flight. Even if the airline denies its fault, our team will check the legal options and refer the claim to lawyers.
