Aegean Airlines missed connecting flight compensation.
If your flight is cancelled or delayed due to an airline’s fault while traveling in and out of Europe, there may be a chance you are eligible for compensation as per EU regulations (up to 600 € from the airline). In this article we will explain what missed connecting flight compensation entails, how to claim it, and provide tips on avoiding delays and missing connections altogether.
It applies to all Aegean Airlines flights to and from Europe.
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
UK / EU Flight Compensation
We have several articles on these topics.
Here is a full guide on UK / EU flight compensation regulation. There we talk about all situations, when you can get compensation from the airline and when you have a right to care. We also have separate guides on what to do if you miss connection due to delay, strike, or cancellation of one of your flights.
Here, in this article, we will focus more on the compensation – UK / EU Missed connecting flight compensation.
1. Aegean Airlines Missed Connecting Flight Compensation
Aegean Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Greece.
If your flight with Aegean Airlines is delayed or cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you can get compensation from the airline. If you miss a connecting flight, you can get a compensation too. The latter is often called “missed connecting flight compensation.” While in reality it’s just a flight delay compensation — you are entitled to it because you have arrived to destination with delay.
You can get this money if you are traveling to or from Europe and you miss your connecting flight because of the airline.
There are two conditions that must be met:
- You are arriving to your destination three hours or more behind schedule. The time of arrival is considered when passengers can disembark the aircraft — when doors are opened and travelers are able to exit the plane.
- It must be an airline-protected connecting flight. These rules don’t apply to self-transfer flights, or DIY connections as they are sometimes referred to. Self transfer is your responsibility, not airline’s.
1.1 European and non-European airlines
The country of origin of your airline matters.
If the flight you’re taking is with a European airline (registered in either the EU, EEA or UK), then regardless of whether it’s arriving to Europe or departing from there, your rights remain unchanged. However, for non-European airlines like Qatar Airways and Qantas – these customer rights apply only when traveling FROM Europe but not on journeys that leave other countries.
| EU/UK to EU/UK | EU/UK to Other countries | Other countries to EU/UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU airlines | + | + | + |
| UK airlines | + | + | + |
| Other airlines | + | + | – |
1.2 Self-Transfer Flights
With self transfer, it’s not as easy and stress-free.
For example, one of your flights is with Aegean Airlines and one with Ryanair, Wizz Air, or any other airline. This would be considered a self transfer.
You are less protected with self transfers. If, for example, your delayed flight is only two hours late instead of three and causes you to miss the next plane, neither compensation nor another ticket will be provided. It is important to bear this in mind if considering a self transfer option.
- You won’t get a new flight, because it’s a self transfer. No airline is responsible for this flight connection.
- Your flight isn’t at least three hours delayed upon its arrival. So, even though this caused you to miss another connecting flight, these two flights are considered individual entities — you won’t get flight compensation.
When it comes to air passenger rights, unless otherwise stated, we talk about air passenger rights in the EU, EEA and UK. When we say Europe or European, we mean EU, EEA or UK. This is done for the simplicity, since the according laws in these countries are about the same.
2. How Much Can You Claim for Missed Connecting Flight?
Mostly it’s 250, 400 or 600 euro per person.
The amounts are regulated by flight compensation regulations.
The longer the flight, the more you can get.
- 250 EUR – if the flight distance is less than 1500 km;
- 400 EUR – if the flight distance is between 1500 and 3500 km;
- 600 EUR – if the flight distance is more than 3500 km.
3. How to File a Claim for Missed Connection Compensation?
There are two options:
- You can file a claim with compensation company.
- Or, you can do it all on your own.
If you choose the latter (option number 2):
- Start by finding an online claim form. This can usually be found on the airline’s website and requires you to provide your personal information and a description of your missed flight or connection. The form may also require you to provide information such as the date and time of the missed connection, the flight number, and the ticket numbers involved.
- Gather any relevant supporting documentation for your claim, such as boarding passes, receipts for additional transportation and accommodation costs. Make sure to keep a copy of all documents for your records.
- Submit all required documents along with your online claim form.
- Wait for a response from the airline. The process can take up to several weeks depending on how many other claims are ahead of yours in line.
- Review the response from the airline carefully and make sure that it is in accordance with the flight compensation regulations (EC261/2004 or UK261 in this case). Don’t forget that, for example, technical problems with an airplane are considered airline’s fault, not something unavoidable.
- In some cases, filing a lawsuit against the airline may also be an option if negotiations fail entirely.
4. Right to Care from Aegean Airlines
On all Aegean Airlines flights you have a right to care.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:
- Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
- Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
- Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails.
It applies to all domestic and international flights with Aegean Airlines. Again, it’s because Aegean Airlines is a European airline. With non-European airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports.
5. Tips on Flight Delays and Missed Connections
The more informed you are, the better.
- Don’t risk with too short layover times. Whenever you book connecting flights, be sure to cushion some time between them. That way if one of those legs has any hiccups along the way – like a delay or cancellation – it won’t have a domino effect on your entire journey.
- Before you go to the airport, check the airline’s or airport’s website for any warnings of potential delays or cancellations. Although this won’t stop you from missing a connecting flight, it will help minimize wasted time at the airport and put you in control.
- Use flight trackers to stay informed. Consider using tools such as FlightStats to track your flight status online and be aware of changes that could affect your flight or flights.
- Investing in travel insurance is a good idea. It will protect you from losing money if something stops you from being able to take your flight. For example, if you get sick or hurt. The policy can also cover the cost of buying another ticket, book a hotel room and more! This is especially useful, if you are taking a self-transfer flight with different airlines.
- Learn more about your rights! There are laws in Europe that say airlines have to help you if there are problems with your flight, and it’s not your fault. If something goes wrong on your trip, it’s good to know this, so you can feel more at ease and act better.
What is your experience with Aegean Airlines? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Aegean Airlines? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive missed connection compensation from Aegean Airlines?
Featured photo by Vasilis Caravitis on Unsplash
