Does EU compensation apply to flights where the departure airport closes check-in counters during protests?
(Fortunately I am not among the affected passengers)
There are protests being held in Hong Kong International Airport right now. In response, The Airport Authority closed all check-in counters before evening. Unlike Monday, where all departure flights at night were cancelled, only a handful of flights were cancelled today; a majority of them are departing on time with transit passengers and cargos only. It is said that passengers who are not checked in before the check-in counter closes prematurely, would be treated as no-shows.
To make this question more general, consider a flight from non-EU airport to an EU airport, operated by a EU airline. This flight is covered by EU rules regarding delayed and cancelled flights.
A passenger of that flight arrived at the airport well before the check-in deadline. However, the check-in counter for that airline was prematurely closed even earlier (or was never open to begin with). This may be caused by protest, ground staff on strike, or other reasons beyond the airline's control. The airline decided to get the aeroplane in the air on time, without that passenger on board. Is that passenger eligible for compensation under EU rules?
Best Answer
This situation is currently under dispute in The Netherlands.
In September 2018, Ryanair cancelled many European flights due to strikes by their pilots and cabin crew. It denied compensation to customers claiming 'extraordinary circumstances'. Dutch Transport ministry inspectors decided not to fine Ryanair for this and that the matter is up to civil courts to decide, but Dutch civil rights group Consumentenbond is now protesting this decision.
As mentioned in the article, a civil court did rule against Ryanair and ordered it to compensate an affected customer.
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What is the EU compensation for Cancelled flights?
Cancelled flight: request reimbursement and compensation Then, you are entitled to a compensation of: 250\u20ac for flights up to 1500 kilometers, 400\u20ac for flights between 1500 and 3500 km, 600\u20ac beyond 3500 km, provided that you are at least 4 hours late (300 \u20ac for a delay between 3 and 4 hours).What are the rules on compensation for Cancelled flights?
The airline is required to compensate you for a canceled flight if you were notified less than 14 days before your original scheduled departure date. However, compensation is not required if the airline proves that extraordinary circumstances (e.g., weather) caused the cancellation.How long does your flight have to be delayed before compensation?
U.S. flights: maximum compensation by type of delayNew flight arrival timeCompensation (% of ticket price)Within 1 hour of original arrivalNoneBetween 1 and 2 hours after original arrival (1 to 4 hours for international)200%More than 2 hours after original arrival (more than 4 hours for international)400%Oct 11, 2021What is denied boarding compensation?
This is called \u201cdenied boarding compensation\u201d or \u201cDBC\u201d for short. Most bumped passengers who experience short delays on flights will receive compensation equal to double the one-way price of the flight they were bumped from, but airlines may limit this amount to up to $775.How To Get €600 to leave Europe: EU Flight Delay Compensation
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Answer 2
passengers who are not checked in before the check-in counter closes prematurely, would be treated as no-shows
This is not legally possible. When your long-haul flight is delayed or cancelled and you arrived on time, you're entitled to either a refund or an alternative flight + care and assistance while you wait for it. This is in addition to compensation which may not be due in extraordinary circumstances.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Josh Sorenson, Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring