The number of countries adopting passenger protection regulations in the event of flight disruptions is increasing. These regulations are a great tool for claim companies to broaden their scope and accept more claims—even in cases where passengers themselves might not realize they’re eligible for compensation. Even if a claim is submitted, airlines may sometimes bluff and reject it by referring to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 criteria, even though the claim might qualify under a different set of regulatory conditions.
Recall The Key Points Of The EC261/2004 Regulation
In Europe, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies. Skycop accepts claims if your flight disruption involved a delay of more than 3 hours upon arrival at the final destination, if the flight was cancelled less than 14 days before the scheduled departure, or if you were denied boarding due to overbooking as seen in situations like recent disruptions affecting flights to Greece. Besides the type of disruption, a key factor is whether the regulation applies—this depends on the departure and arrival airports and the airline operating the flight.
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 covers the three types of disruptions mentioned above only:
- If your flight departed from an EU country., It doesn’t matter which airline operated the flight or where the destination was—the issue occurred in the EU.
- If your flight is to an EU country from a non-EU country, the story is a bit different. In this case, the airline operating the flight becomes very important. If it’s an EU airline, the regulation will apply. If it’s a non-EU airline, then Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 does not apply.
A few examples of when Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 will apply and when it will not:
The flight was cancelled while you were at the airport. The flight was from Warsaw Airport (Poland) to Antalya Airport (Turkey), and it was supposed to be operated by a Turkish airline. In this case, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies.
The flight from Marrakech Airport (Morocco) to Paris (France) was delayed upon arrival in Paris by 5 hours. The flight was operated by Royal Air Maroc. Although the type of disruption qualifies due to the delay being more than 3 hours, the claim will be rejected because the flight was operated by a non-EU airline.
Was Your Flight Disrupted?
Turn your delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight into a compensation up to €600!
The UK261 Regulation Is Boldly Stepping In
The UK261 Regulation is like the white rabbit in Wonderland—it grabbed hold of the EU Regulation and, despite Brexit, mirrors almost everything covered by EC261.
Just like the EC Regulation, UK261 covers the same categories of flight disruptions: delays, cancellations, and cases of denied boarding due to overbooking.
There are only a few differences: the jurisdiction of UK261 applies to flights departing from or arriving in the United Kingdom, and compensation amounts are calculated in British pounds instead of euros.
Therefore, if your flight departs from Washington (US) to London (UK) with Virgin Airlines, and you are denied boarding due to overbooking (i.e., the airline sold more tickets than there are seats), the UK261 Regulation applies in this case.
Want to learn more? If your flight was to or from the UK, you can easily submit your claim by clicking the link below. UK 261 Flight Delay & Cancellation Compensation – Skycop
Turkish Regulation: The All-Inclusive Deal
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to rely on the regulation that offers the strongest legal backing. For EU citizens, the EC Regulation tends to be more favourable. On the other hand, for Turkish citizens, the national Turkish regulation may be more relevant and advantageous.
Starting from December 15, 2024, the Turkish regulation has been refined to clearly outline the conditions under which it applies and the situations where it does not.
If your flight occurred after this date and was a domestic Turkish flight operated by a Turkish airline, with a delay of over three hours or a cancellation, you may be entitled to get compensation of €100 per passenger.
In addition, for flights departing from Turkey, all airlines are covered regardless of the destination. However, for flights arriving in Turkey, only Turkish-registered airlines are covered.
So, what’s the catch? In some cases, a single flight may fall under both the EC Regulation and another regulation. Since we’re focusing on Turkish regulation, let’s explore a few scenarios to see how it applies.
Let’s say a flight from Istanbul (Turkey) was cancelled two days before the scheduled departure. The flight is operated by an EU airline, and the destination is an airport within the EU. In this case, both regulations may apply.
However, if the airline is Turkish, then only the Turkish regulation will apply – the EU regulation will no longer be applicable.
Want to learn more? If your flight was to or from Turkey, you can easily submit your claim by clicking the link below. Shy Regulation Turkey: Flight Delay & Cancellation Compensation
Passenger Rights With Brazilian Twist
The Brazilian regulation ANAC 400 has only recently joined the list of regulations that Skycop operates under. It covers the same three types of disruptions: delays, cancellations, and overbooking, and applies to both domestic flights within Brazil and international flights arriving in or departing from Brazil.
Let’s take a look at a few examples. Imagine a connecting flight from Berlin (Germany) via Zurich (Switzerland) to São Paulo Airport (Brazil), operated by an EU airline. If the first flight is delayed and you miss your connection, the EU regulation is more likely to apply than the Brazilian one.
However, if the flight is from Brazil to Peru, operated by a Brazilian airline, and it gets cancelled on the same day, the Brazilian regulation will apply.
Want to learn more? If your flight was to or from Brazil, you can easily submit your claim by clicking the link below. ANAC 400 Regulation – Skycop
Saudi Arabia’s Regulation – A Fresh Breeze In Desert Skies
The Saudi Arabia regulation primarily applies to flights from non-EU countries to Saudi Arabia, but only if the airline operating the flight is Saudi Arabian. It also applies if the flight departs from Saudi Arabia to a non-EU country, regardless of the airline. The regulation primarily covers delays and cancellations, and the compensation amounts differ from those specified by EC261 or UK261. There are many nuances within this regulation, and it doesn’t comprehensively cover every situation. For instance, the time limit for submitting claims can range anywhere from two years to just 60 days.
Was Your Flight Disrupted?
Turn your delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight into a compensation up to €600!
As you can see, there’s quite a bit of confusion, and it’s impossible to monitor everything yourself, but is it necessary? Skycop keeps its knowledge up-to-date, engages expert legal professionals, analyzes regulations, and expands expertise so that the passenger only needs to submit a few flight documents. Travel disruptions may also involve baggage-related issues, so passengers should understand the steps to take if luggage is lost during their journey. And once your travel plans are back on track, you can start exploring destinations and events with the help of a free festival guide. The team at Skycop will then determine if the case qualifies for compensation under any applicable regulation.
Submit your claim, and the Skycop team will assess your eligibility to get compensation.
