Traveling in first class can make any journey much more comfortable, with the seating arrangements and gourmet meals allowing the time to pass comfortably. Considering that luxury flights have significantly changed over the past couple of years, it is understandable why many travelers prefer this type.
However, despite your comfort, you are still expected to arrive at an exact time, whether you fly for business or are on vacation. Being stranded in the VIP lounge at the airport for five hours does nothing to soothe your nerves in this case. Should this happen, EU air passenger rights entitle you to compensation for your troubles.
Ticket buyers are covered by the protective law EU 261/2004 when flying to or from the EU. This regulation protects you in case of delays, regardless of the class that you are in. As someone expecting to fly in luxury without any issues, it goes without saying that flight disruptions are not to be tolerated.
Flight compensation is offered to you when the disruption is caused by the airline and not you as the traveler. Whether your problem was a delay or a cancellation, you can receive up to 250 EUR if you fly domestically or up to 600 EUR if the flight is international. In these cases, the best company for flight compensation can help you obtain your monetary rights.
EU 261/2004 is a comprehensive law that takes all flights seriously, especially the luxury type. Depending on the kind of disruption, passengers may have different rights. The most common occurrences are as follows:
You are eligible for compensation if the delay is at least 3 hours, with the airline being the one responsible for the situation. If you arrive at your final destination 3 hours later than you were supposed to, you are entitled to the following amounts, based on the distance:
Compensation can be opted for right after you reach your final destination. That said, rather than dealing with the airlines yourself, you should have a professional do it for you instead. Luxury-class companies such as Emirates may try to refuse your right to compensation if you are not convincing enough, which can ultimately affect your travel experience.
While compensation rights come into effect after 3 hours, your right to care kicks in after 2 hours. Airlines are required to offer refreshments, meals, phone calls, and even accommodation if necessary. These should respect the same class requirements you paid for in your ticket.
Airlines need to plan ahead for cancellations if they want to get away with it. Any canceled flight should be announced 14 days in advance, offering you a suitable alternative. If not, flight rights EU from EC 261 clearly state that you are entitled to compensation.
Once more, if they search for an alternative route for you during this time, you may not get a ticket refund. Still, they will have to mimic your original travel conditions. If not, you are entitled to a percentage of the ticket price based on the distance you are flying.
As a luxury passenger, the high ticket price suggests you are allowed priority boarding. Very often, when it comes to denied boarding, economy fliers are the ones being denied. This means that this happening to you should be unheard of, even if you are not first at the gate.
Should you be denied boarding without voluntarily giving up your seat, you can get up to 600 EUR in compensation and a full reimbursement for your ticket. Airlines are also responsible for finding an alternate route for you if the original flight was overbooked. They will need to offer you the same type of arrangements they provided you with before and, should you be downgraded, you must get a refund.
While EC 261 covers international flight delay compensation, cancellations, or other boarding issues, the Montreal Convention protects you in case your luggage is lost or damaged. This is very useful to know if you are traveling long distances and carrying valuable assets in your luggage.
One thing to remember is that the liability limit for lost luggage is around 1,500 EUR, no matter if you fly first class or economy. If you have valuable items in your luggage, it’s recommended to declare a high-value bag at check-in, forcing them to return the exact sum you lost. Considering that a wedding party recently had their bags ransacked at the airport with their luxury items stolen, it’s a good idea to report if you have pricey clothes or jewelry inside the bags.
After you have determined that you are eligible for compensation, it’s time to start filing your case. Just because you are flying luxury, it doesn’t mean that you do not need the money. Considering the average first-class ticket costs around $10,000, the money should not remain in the airline’s pocket.
Make sure that you gather all the documentation, including your boarding pass, ticket, and receipts. You can file yourself with the airline, but the process can be messy and lengthy, which is why it is better to go for a compensation company such as StopDelay. Airlines may sometimes try to dub the incident as an “extraordinary circumstance” to avoid payments, but more often than not, the situation is not as “extraordinary” as it seems.
Flying in luxury means that you should experience comfort from the beginning to the end. A flight disruption is a clear discomfort, and you are entitled to compensation if it happens. Claim your rights as soon as possible by opting for the best company for flight compensation!
