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Your flight rights explained as Middle East fuel crisis triggers cancellations in Spain and across Europe
Spanish airline Volotea has already axed dozens of routes because of rising fuel costs and more are likely to follow
The fallout from the Middle East conflict is starting to affect flights that have nothing to do with the war itself. While cancellations to destinations in the region were expected given the closed or restricted airspace involved, rising fuel prices are now prompting airlines to axe routes between entirely unrelated destinations too.
Spanish airline Volotea has already cancelled a series of flights up to the last week of April across France, Italy and Spain, blamng "geopolitical instability" and short-term fuel price increases.
Among the affected routes are several flights from Asturias to the Canary Islands and Mallorca in April. It's unlikely to be the last airline to take this kind of action as the summer season approaches.
If your flight has been cancelled or you're worried it might be, here's what you're entitled to under EU rules.
What rights do I have?
EU Regulation 261/2004 sets out clear protections for passengers in the event of a cancellation, regardless of the reason given by the airline. These cover two main areas:
- Refund or alternative transport: You must be offered a full refund of your ticket at the price you paid, plus a return flight to your original departure point if relevant. Alternatively, the airline must offer you comparable transport to your destination either as soon as possible or at a later date that suits you.
- Right to care: While you wait, the airline must provide free meals and drinks appropriate to the length of the delay, plus two phone calls, emails or faxes. If your replacement flight isn't until the following day, the airline must also cover hotel accommodation and transport between the hotel and the airport.
Can I claim compensation?
Possibly, but not always. You're entitled to financial compensation from the airline unless one of the following applies:
- You were told about the cancellation at least two weeks before departure.
- You were told between two weeks and seven days before departure and were offered an alternative flight departing no more than two hours earlier and arriving no more than four hours later than originally scheduled.
- You were told less than seven days before departure and were offered a flight departing no more than one hour earlier and arriving no more than two hours later.
- The airline can demonstrate the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that couldn't have been avoided even with all reasonable precautions taken.
Whether rising fuel costs count as extraordinary circumstances is likely to be contested, so it's worth pushing back if an airline tries to use this as a reason to avoid paying compensation.
Practical tips
The European Consumer Centre in Spain has reminded passengers that their basic rights remain fully in force regardless of the global situation, and has offered a few practical recommendations worth keeping in mind:
- If the airline fails to provide assistance it's obliged to offer, keep all receipts for expenses such as accommodation, food and transport so you can claim them back later.
- Check the small print on any travel insurance policy you hold, as some insurers exclude cover for events connected to armed conflicts.
- Contact your country's embassy or consulate if you need up-to-date travel guidance or emergency assistance relating to your destination.
