Flight Delayed Due To Bad Weather: Can I Claim Compensation?

According to EU Regulation 261 (aka EC 261), you may be eligible for compensation of up to €600 in case of a flight delay or cancellation. However, passengers may not be entitled to flight delay compensation in case of bad weather. Despite the inconvenience this creates, inclement weather conditions are outside the airline's control. But oftentimes airlines claim bad weather to avoid paying compensation even though the flight delay might've been because of another reason.

SkyRefund’s mission is to inform air passengers of their flight passenger rights and to help them receive their compensation for a flight delay or cancellation. To help you understand better when you can claim flight compensation, we will break down your rights in case of a delay due to bad weather.

 

Do you get compensation if a flight is delayed due to weather?

Yes, you can get compensation for flight delay due to bad weather, but only under some circumstances. Unlike other cases of extraordinary circumstances like natural disasters or civil unrest that seem to clearly lie out of air carrier's control, bad weather conditions are not as clear. Winter is not a surprise in Europe, so airlines are expected to take all reasonable measures to avoid any flight delays and cancellations during these months.  

But ‘bad weather conditions’ are not the same as ‘meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned’, as stated in EU Regulation 261. But how to distinguish between the two?

Extreme weather conditions are very diverse and may include snowstorms, extremely low visibility, strong crosswinds, sandstorms, etc. What is more, the weather is very dynamic and changes throughout the course of the day. Within a couple of hours, conditions may change and cause flight cancellations due to bad weather. 

There are many variables, and it is sometimes difficult to establish whether particular weather conditions allow for flying or not. Sometimes, airlines may use the bad weather as the reason for the flight disruption to free themselves from having to pay compensation. In these cases, it's best to get in touch with flight compensation experts like SkyRefund who can help you find out if your flight is eligible for compensation. 

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by low temperatures?

 

 

In some cases, airlines may cite ‘extraordinary circumstance’ when a flight has been delayed or cancelled due to negative temperatures and the impossibility of de-icing the vehicle. According to EC 261, airlines are only freed from the obligation to compensate passengers in circumstances which could not have been avoided ‘even if all reasonable measures had been taken’.

However, low temperatures are not wholly exceptional circumstances, and it is the airline’s responsibility to prepare de-icing fluid in advance.

So when can you claim compensation? Imagine you are at the airport, other flights are departing, but your air carrier claims bad weather delay due to the lack of de-icing fluid. In this case, the airline can be held liable and you may claim compensation. The amount of such flight delay compensation under EU 261/2004 depends on the distance of the flight and may range from €250 to €600.

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by snow?

 

 

Is snow considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’? On average, the UK gets 23.7 days of snowfall or sleet a year. Statistically speaking, Berlin receives either rain or snow almost a third of the year (106 days). In Europe, snow is hardly an exceptional weather condition. 

However, sometimes snowstorms can be very severe. Imagine you find yourself waiting to board a plane, and you can hardly see the passengers at the top of the air stairs because of the heavy snow. At that moment, it’s likely that flying wouldn’t seem like such a great idea.

Who makes the official call? Air Traffic Control.

Ice, snow or hail on the runway may cause the aircraft to take longer to slow down and exit. This means that Air Traffic Control may limit the number of flights that land or depart on the runways, which would consequently lead to delays. These delays are not the fault of the airline and are considered ‘extraordinary circumstances’. 

So how do you know if you are eligible for compensation? If other flights are departing from your airport, this may be a sign that the responsibility for the delay of your flight lies with the airline. In this case, it is a good idea to try to find out the reason for the delay.

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by fog?

 

 

In certain times of the year, fog is not uncommon, especially in the UK. Yet if the fog results in very low visibility, Air Traffic Control may decide to limit the number of flights landing at a certain airport. In cases of fog, a delay program may be established that will hold aircraft on the ground before departure due to conditions at the arrival airport.

According to EU 261/2004, this is a case of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ as the decision affecting your flight is made by air traffic management and the air carrier is not responsible for the incident.

However, if the fog does not impact the airport of departure or arrival, you may be eligible for compensation.

Imagine your flight was delayed due to a previous flight disrupted or cancelled as a result of bad weather. In the case of such knock-on effects (when an earlier delay affects a later flight), the air carriers may find it difficult to prove they have taken all reasonable measures. What is more, the bad weather does not influence your flight directly. Therefore, this is not a case of flight delay due to bad weather and compensation of up to €600 may be payable to passengers.

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by wind and rain?

Wind and rain are other typical winter conditions in the UK and Europe in general. Therefore, they should not be sufficient grounds for your flight to be delayed or cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

However, if the wind is so strong that Air Traffic Control decides to limit the number of flights, then it could constitute ‘extraordinary circumstance’. Moreover, even slow crosswinds may prevent a flight from departing or arriving on time, while even stronger headwinds may not affect the flight schedule. If heavy rain causes floods and leads to the closing of the airport, then this would be a clear case of ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by sandstorm?

If you have flown outside the EU, your arrival may have been impacted by a sandstorm. Unfortunately, if such bad weather delays or cancels your flight directly, you would not be eligible for compensation. However, imagine that an earlier flight was delayed due to a sandstorm and your flight could not take off on time as a result of the knock-on effect. In this case, you may be entitled to flight delay compensation.

 

Can you claim compensation for flight delays caused by ash clouds?

The Icelandic volcano eruption of April 2010 forced plenty of airlines to land their aircraft due to prohibitive weather conditions. Ash clouds pose a serious threat to aircraft, as they may reduce visibility and even cause engine damage. Therefore, they are considered an extraordinary circumstance.

 

Can you claim missed connection compensation if your flight was delayed or cancelled due to bad weather?

If you miss your connection due to a flight delay caused by bad weather, your air carrier is obliged to help you find an alternate flight as soon as possible. In this case, as the airline is not responsible for the disruption, passengers would not be eligible for compensation for the missed connection.

However, if you missed your connecting flight as a result of a cancellation or delay which was the airline’s fault, you may be entitled to a compensation of up to €600. You should also be offered an alternate flight and could have the right to a voucher or a refund for the food and drinks you purchased during your wait.

 

Flight Delay due to Bad Weather: Your right to meals and refreshments

If your flight was delayed for more than 2 hours after the original time of departure, airlines are required to inform you of your right to care. This is the right to a voucher for meals and refreshments. Typically, airlines offer vouchers to passengers who are forced to wait at the airport for a significant period of time. If your airline does not offer you a voucher, remember that you may buy the food and drinks you need and ask for a refund later. Make sure you keep the receipts in this case.

It is also good to remember that in the event of an unexpected delay or cancellation, you also have the right to 2 free telephone calls.

If your flight is postponed to the following day, airlines are required to offer you a place to stay and to cover your accommodation expenses. What is more, if your hotel is far away from the airport, the air carrier is required to cover your travel expenses to and from the airport. This also includes the cases in which you have to go back home and travel to the airport the next day.

 

When to claim flight delay compensation

Firstly, to be eligible for flight delay compensation, you need to have experienced a delay of more than 3 hours. It is important to remember that delay is defined as the difference between the expected and the actual time of arrival. 

For example, if the pilot manages to make up for the late takeoff, the flight may arrive at its destination with a delay of 2:45 hours. In this case, you would not be eligible for reimbursement since your arrival was delayed by less than 3 hours.

However, imagine that the pilot does not manage to make up for the late take-off, and you arrive at your destination 3:10 hours later than expected. In this case, since the delay exceeds 3 hours, you may be eligible for flight delay compensation of up to €600.

 

How much flight delay compensation can I claim?

The amount of your flight delay compensation will depend on the length of the flight.

• If the distance covered by your flight is shorter than 1500 km, the payable compensation is €250. These flights usually take less than two hours.
• For flights between 1500 km and 3500 km (or typically between two and four and a half hours) compensation rises to €400.
• Your compensation may even reach €600 if your flight exceeds 3500 km (such long-haul flights typically take more than four and a half hours).

The compensation amount will also depend on the departure and arrival point of your journey. For example, for intra-community flights (i.e. EU to EU) compensation amounts are capped at €400.

The easiest way to determine the amount of your delay compensation is by using our compensation calculator.

SkyRefund will help you receive your delayed flight compensation

Airlines often cite bad weather as the reason for the flight delay. Since there are many variables, and it can be difficult to prove if the bad weather is prohibitive, air carriers sometimes claim that the bad weather is an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ as an excuse to avoid paying compensation.

This is why you may need expert assistance. After you submit your claim with us, we will:

• conduct an in-depth investigation into the circumstances of the flight delay
• maintain sustained communication with the airline and double-check any information coming in from them
• contact the airport and the local civil aviation authorities.

All you have to do is enter your flight details, and we will calculate how much compensation you are entitled to.

We operate on a “no-win, no-fee” basis. We will not charge you if we are not successful in claiming compensation. Not only that, but we get paid only if we are successful and our Standard Fee is 35% (VAT included) from the total compensation. Please visit our Pricing Policy for detailed information.