If you have to wait at the airport, you have a right to care.
Often, this implies free food and free hotel accommodation.
If your Volotea flight experiences a delay, gets cancelled last minute, or the schedule changes unexpectedly, you are entitled to certain complementary services. Should your delay extend to 3 hours or more, Volotea is committed to providing you free meals and beverages. For delays that extend overnight, Volotea ensures that you have a free hotel room to stay in.
Right to Care From Volotea
European law ensures protection for air passengers.
Hence, passengers flying with European airlines have a right to care when their flights are delayed, cancelled last-minute or overbooked. These rights also apply to certain flights operated by non-European airlines.
For European airlines like Volotea, these passenger rights encompass all their flights, regardless of their departure and arrival points, as stipulated by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
Short Delays (3+ Hours)
You get: meals and beverages.
Should your delay last for a minimum of three hours during the day, Volotea is obligated to provide you with free meals and beverages. You are also entitled to two free phone calls, emails, or faxes. These benefits will be given to you in the form of vouchers.
Long Delays (Overnight)
You get: meals, drinks, accommodation, and airport transfer.
In the event that your flight is delayed overnight, Volotea ensures the provision of free accommodation, transfer to and from the airport, meals, and drinks. If you don’t receive information about these services, it is recommended to reach out to Volotea at the earliest.
Check your compensation online.
How to Get Complimentary Meals and Hotel Stay?
While waiting for a long time at the airport, Volotea is expected to offer you amenities such as complimentary meals, hotel lodging, and airport transfers without requiring you to ask for them. These conveniences should be readily provided to you during the waiting times.
If these services are not offered, make sure to reach out to the Volotea customer help desk to ask about them. As per European law, the airline is obliged to offer these services free of cost during appropriate delays.
There may be infrequent instances when the airline does not provide these services; in such cases, you might need to make arrangements on your own. Retain all evidence like receipts and proof of purchase for food, beverage, transportation, and hotel stays. Once you’ve gathered these, you can then lodge a reimbursement claim with Volotea, outlining your expenses during the delay. Providing thorough information can facilitate a smoother reimbursement process.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Let’s begin by defining it.
What Are Extraordinary Circumstances?
Extraordinary circumstances point to any unforeseen events that the airline cannot control, resulting in flight delays, cancellations, or changes. These can include harsh weather, strikes not related to the airline, security threats, political unrest, or hidden manufacturing defects impacting flight safety.
During such events, despite the hassles caused, the airline is not mandated to offer compensation as per Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. However, the obligation to care, as discussed above, remains in effect.
Yes, you have a right to care if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.
Are Technical Problems Considered Extraordinary Circumstances?
Mostly, technical issues are not classified as extraordinary circumstances under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The regulation clearly mentions that technical problems arising from an airline’s regular operation are not deemed extraordinary, as these are within the airline’s control.
These can include regular maintenance or minor fixes. Such issues are part of the airline’s standard responsibilities and, hence, cannot be used as a reason to avoid providing compensation or care to passengers.
However, if there’s a hidden manufacturing flaw that poses a risk to flight safety, it may be classified as extraordinary. This is because these situations are uncommon, pose immediate risks to safe flight operations, and are not part of the airline’s regular technical operations.
Right to Care in Extraordinary Circumstances
Passengers are entitled to care even during extraordinary circumstances.
While Volotea may not be liable to give compensation for delays or cancellations caused by situations beyond their control, they are still obligated to ensure your comfort during the waiting period. Providing meals, refreshments, and accommodation, in case of significant delays, is part of this obligation.
The same principle is applicable when an alternative method of transportation is offered in case the flight gets cancelled – you have a right to that.
Right to Care: FAQ – Volotea
In this part, we will answer some frequently asked questions about passengers’ right to care in the event of flight delays and cancellations with Volotea.
What Does “Right to Care” Mean?
Right to care is a term that defines the airline’s obligations to their passengers when a flight is delayed, overbooked (i.e., passenger is denied boarding), or cancelled. European legislation mandates airlines to ensure passengers’ comfort during such disruptions. This includes providing free meals, drinks, and accommodation in the event of significant delays.
Do I Have a Right to Care if My Volotea Flight is Delayed?
If your Volotea flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, the airline should automatically offer you amenities like free meals and drinks, and necessary accommodation for overnight delays.
If these services are not provided, you should approach the Volotea customer service counter at the airport and inquire about them. Alternatively, you can personally pay for these services and then submit a reimbursement claim later. The earlier you do this, the better.
If My Flight Is Cancelled, Do I Have the Right to Care?
Yes, if your flight is cancelled, you have a right to care.
If your flight is cancelled at the very last minute, and you have to wait at the airport until your replacement flight departs, you can get free meals, drinks, and accommodation (if the new flight departs on the next day). If the cancellation is due to the airline’s mistake, you may also be eligible for flight cancellation compensation.
Check your compensation online.
Do You Have the Right to Care if Your Flight Is Cancelled or Delayed Due to Extraordinary Circumstances?
Extraordinary circumstances are situations beyond the airline’s control.
Yes, you have a right to care even in extraordinary circumstances.
This implies that if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to severe weather, security risks, or labour strikes, you are still entitled to free meals, drinks, and accommodation (if necessary).
How Can I Request Reimbursement If I Had to Cover My Accommodation and Meals?
If you find yourself covering the costs of meals, accommodation, or airport transfers due to Volotea’s inability to manage these, remember to keep all receipts and proof of your expenses. Submit these, accompanied by a comprehensive description of your expenses during the delay, to Volotea for reimbursement.
Please bear in mind that this procedure applies solely to necessary expenses, and luxury splurges may not be compensated.
Does It Apply to All Volotea Flights?
Passengers have a right to care on all Volotea flights.
Given that Volotea is an airline based in the European Union, all passengers on flights departing from and arriving in Europe are subjected to the right to care under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
However, it’s critical to understand that for airlines not based in Europe, this regulation is only enforced on flights taking off from Europe. Flights of non-European airlines that are landing in Europe from other regions are not governed by this European regulation.
Is This Applicable Only to Europeans?
No. The right to care extends to all passengers on Volotea flights, regardless of their nationality.
The laws that establish passenger rights to care are encapsulated in Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261, both implemented by the European Union and the UK government. These provisions ensure that any airline operating within Europe is obligated to provide care and compensation for affected passengers when necessary. This means all passengers on Volotea flights, regardless of nationality, have a right to care.
The only exception lies with airlines not based in Europe, where these regulations are applicable only to flights that are departing from Europe, but not to those entering Europe from other global regions.
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.