If your flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked, you have a right to care.
In most instances, this means complimentary meals and hotel accommodation.
If your Blue Air flight is delayed, cancelled, or changed at the last minute, you are entitled to certain services at no cost. If you have been waiting for 3 hours or more, you can receive free meals and drinks. If the delay continues overnight, Blue Air should provide you with a complimentary hotel stay.
Right to Care From Blue Air
European laws have certain provisions in place to safeguard air passengers.
These provisions ensure that passengers travelling within Europe or on European carriers are entitled to certain care services, which Blue Air provides for most of its flights to and from the European Union. These protections are indicated in Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
If you are stuck in the airport, please note, that you have the right to care.
Short Delays (3+ Hours)
You can get: complimentary food and beverages.
If your delay extends to three or more hours but does not stretch into the night, Blue Air is obligated to offer you free meals and refreshments. In addition, you will also have access to two free modes of communication, be it phone calls, email or fax. These facilities are provided in the form of vouchers.
Long Delays (Overnight)
You can get: complimentary food, beverages, accommodation, and airport transfer.
If your flight is delayed overnight, Blue Air is committed to offering you complimentary accommodation, airport transfers, meals, and drinks. If you haven’t been provided with details regarding these facilities, you must get in touch with Blue Air promptly.
How to Get Free Food and Free Hotel Accommodation?
During a long airport delay, Blue Air is expected to offer you amenities such as free meals, hotel accommodation, and airport transfers without you having to request them. These amenities should be provided to you during your wait.
If these services are not provided, it’s crucial to reach out to the Blue Air customer service desk and make inquiries. The airline is obligated by European regulations to provide these services at no cost for eligible delays.
In rare circumstances, if the airline does not make these arrangements, you might need to arrange them on your own. Please keep all receipts and proof of transactions for meals, drinks, transfers, and hotel stays. These documents will be necessary when requesting a refund from Blue Air for the expenses you incurred during the delay. To ensure a smooth reimbursement process, please provide all the required details.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Do you have the right to care in extraordinary circumstances. Yes, you do.
But firstly, let’s delve into what we mean by extraordinary circumstances.
What Are Extraordinary Circumstances?
Extraordinary circumstances include events that are beyond the airline’s control and can result in flight changes, delays, or cancellations. These events may range from severe weather disruptions and strikes (unrelated to the airline) to safety concerns, political unrest, or hidden manufacturing defects that could compromise flight safety.
In these situations, although they may cause inconveniences, the airline (in this case, Blue Air) is not obligated to provide compensation under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 due to their exemption status.
However, the airline still has a responsibility to take care of its passengers. This means that you have the right to care even in extraordinary circumstances.
Are Technical Problems Considered Extraordinary Circumstances?
In most cases, technical issues are not considered extraordinary circumstances according to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The directive clearly states that technical problems resulting from an airline’s routine operations are not considered extraordinary circumstances because they are under the control of the airline.
Such problems include regular maintenance or minor repairs, which are part and parcel of an airline’s daily responsibilities. Therefore, these cannot be used as a reason to avoid providing compensation or care to passengers.
However, if it turns out to be a hidden manufacturing defect that poses a threat to the flight’s safety, it may be tagged as extraordinary. This is because such situations are infrequent, directly compromise the aircraft’s safe operation, and are not within the scope of the airline’s usual technical functions.
Right to Care in Extraordinary Circumstances
Despite the presence of extraordinary circumstances, passengers still hold the right to care.
Although Blue Air may not be obligated to provide compensation for delays or cancellations caused by circumstances beyond their control, they are still responsible for ensuring passengers’ comfort during the waiting period. This includes offering meals, drinks, and accommodation in cases of significant delays.
The same rationale applies when providing an alternate transportation mode if the flight is cancelled – passengers are entitled to this.
Right to Care: FAQ
In this section, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about passengers’ right to care during delays and cancellations with Blue Air.
What Is the Right to Care?
The right to care represents the obligations Blue Air has towards its passengers in cases of flight delays, overbooking, and cancellations. According to European law, airlines are required to ensure passenger comfort during these situations by offering complimentary meals, refreshments, and, in the event of long overnight delays, accommodation.
Am I Entitled to Care if My Flight Is Delayed?
If your Blue Air flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, the airline should provide complimentary meals and refreshments. In case of overnight delays, they should also arrange necessary accommodation.
If you don’t receive these services, you can approach the Blue Air customer service counter at the airport. Alternatively, you have the option to cover the costs yourself and file a reimbursement claim later. It’s recommended to do this as soon as possible.
Do I Have the Right to Care If My Flight Is Cancelled?
Yes, if your flight gets cancelled, you have the right to care.
Blue Air is obligated to provide meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if necessary), as well as arrange for alternative transport to your destination. If the cancellation is due to a fault on Blue Air’s part, you may also be eligible for flight cancellation compensation.
Read more: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation: Your Rights
Are Extraordinary Circumstances an Exception to the Right to Care?
No, the right to care remains valid even in extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the control of the airline. Therefore, if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions, security issues or other extraordinary circumstances, you are still entitled to free meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if necessary).
How Do I Request Reimbursement If I Had to Arrange for My Accommodation and Meals?
If you had to handle your meals, accommodation, or airport transfers due to Blue Air’s failure to arrange them, make sure you keep all receipts and proof of purchase. You can submit these, along with a detailed account of your expenses during the delay, to Blue Air for compensation.
Please note that this policy only covers essential expenses – extravagant spending will not be reimbursed by the airline.
Does the Right to Care Apply to All Blue Air Flights?
The right to care applies to all Blue Air flights to and from Europe.
As an EU airline, Blue Air is subject to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which guarantees passenger rights for all flights departing from and arriving in Europe. However, it’s important to note that this regulation only applies to flights departing from Europe when it comes to non-European airlines (such as Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, American Airlines, etc.). Flights from elsewhere on non-European airlines arriving in Europe are not protected under this European law.
Does All Of This Apply Only to Europeans?
No, the right to care applies to all passengers on Blue Air flights irrespective of their nationality.
Passenger rights for care are outlined in Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261, established by the European Union and the UK government. These regulations require all airlines operating in Europe, including Blue Air, to provide care and compensation to affected passengers. This means that the right to care applies to all passengers, regardless of nationality.
The only exception is for non-European airlines. This regulation applies to flights departing from Europe, but not to those arriving in Europe from elsewhere.
By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.