What to Do if Your Flight Has Been Delayed?

Has your flight been delayed?

Don’t know what to do? 

Whenever a flight to, from or within Brazil gets delayed, the airline has to take care of its passengers. If your flight has been delayed for more than 1 hour, you are entitled to receive certain services for free. Also you must be notified about your flight status. And in certain situations you are entitled to a new (replacement) flight. 

Read on to learn more about your rights in case of flight delay.

People waiting for their flight
People waiting for their flight

What to Do in Case of Delay: A Step by Step Guide

You’ve arrived at the airport only to discover that your flight has been delayed.

Well, probably you will be stuck at the airport for at least a couple of hours. If you are lucky, less than that. The good news is — you are entitled to certain services for free. More on that below.

But first things first — what to do if your flight has been delayed?

Here’s a step by step guide.

  1. Contact the airline to notify it about your delay. You can call or use Facebook Messenger to contact the airline. If you are traveling outside of your country, you might want to use Facebook Messenger. As you might already know that roaming fees are exorbitant. Alternatively, you could use Skype credit to call the airline. But be prepared to wait on hold for some time as it takes time to reach an airline representative. Alternatively, ask at the information counter what should you do in this situation.
  2. Find out how long the delay will be. 
  3. See if check-in is open for your flight. If yes, check in and go to your gate. If check in counters aren’t open, do not go through security just yet. Ask the staff at other airline counters and find out when check in for your flight will start.
  4. If there’s a long delay (more than 4 hours), you have a right to an alternative flight to your destination or a full refund (if you do not want to travel anymore). The same applies both to domestic and international flights to or from Brazil.
  5. If it’s a 4-hour+ delay during the night, you are entitled to a free hotel stay + transfer.

You Found Out About the Delay While Still at Home

You have received an e-mail notifying you about the delay.

What you should do? If you’ve received an e-mail notifying about the delay, the e-mail probably includes information about the reason for delay and a new departure time. Also, the e-mail could contain information about the new check in times, and when you should arrive at the airport.

Just follow this information.

If there’s no such information, call the airline and find out.

What if You Miss Your Connecting Flight Because of the Delay?

If you have an airline-protected connecting flight, you will get a new flight.

Here’s a step by step guide on what you should do to book yourself on a new flight (for free).

  1. Call the airline and ask for assistance.
  2. If you don’t want to call, ask at the information counter what should you do in this situation. Most probably you will be directed to the public access area of the airport to your airline’s office.
  3. Locate your airline’s office. If there’s no such office, go to any of your airline’s check-in counter. The staff will let you know what to do next. You might be directed to a ground services office.
  4. Go to the airline’s office or ground services office to get a new flight ticket.
  5. You can request the next available flight. It doesn’t matter if this flight is with the same airline or not. If you need to get to your destination ASAP, you have a right to request the fastest option. Alternatively, you can fly later, on a later flight with the same airline. This option is great for those who are not in rush, and would like to spend a few hours or a day in the layover city. Why not take the opportunity? It should be fun!
  6. If your next flight departs only on the next day, you are entitled to a free hotel stay and free transfer (as well as free meals and refreshments).
  7. Find out what will happen to your baggage. Will you need to collect it and recheck it yourself? Or will the airline deal with your bags?
  8. Arrive in time for your new flight.

You will be entitled to a free replacement flight only if you have an airline-protected connecting flight (under one booking reference). And only if you missed your connection through no fault of your own. For instance, your previous flight has been delayed or cancelled. But what if you have missed your connection because you fell asleep or waited at the wrong gate? You won’t be given a new flight. It was your fault you missed it.

What if You Have a Self Transfer?

If you have a self-transfer (separately booked flights with different booking references) you won’t be entitled to a free replacement connecting flight. If you miss your self transfer, you will need to book a new flight yourself. 

However, you will be eligible to receive care from the airline because there was a delay or cancellation. If your flight was cancelled last-minute, you will be relocated to the next available flight (replacement for the flight that was cancelled). But if you miss your next flight (self-transfer) because of that, you will need to book the new ticket yourself. The airline is only responsible for their flight.

Read more: Missed Connection in Brazil

Twin beds in a hotel room
If you’ve missed your connection, but the new flight departs only on the next day, you are entitled to a free hotel stay.

Right to Care

If you have to wait at the airport, you have a right to care.

“Right to care” means that you have a right to receive certain services from the airline, for free. Contact the airline to receive the services. You don’t have to call the airline, just visit the airline’s office or approach staff at the airline’s check-in counter or a gate agent. They will tell you where to go to receive coupons for free meal and other services you are entitled to.

The services are as follows:

  • 1-hour flight delay – assistance for communication. If you have to wait 1 hour extra, the airline must give you access to internet or phone calls. So, you can get in touch with your relatives or friends, or anyone else whom you might want to inform about this flight cancellation / travel changes.
  • 2-hour flight delay – free food. After 2 hours, you have a right to some kind of food and refreshments from airline. This as well must be arranged for free. Mostly you’ll be receiving a voucher for a meal or some snack, and drink.
  • 4-hour flight delay – free accommodation + free transfer. But only if it’s happening during the night. And only if it is abroad / away from your home. If it’s your place of residence, you’ll be offered only free transfer.
  • 4-hour flight delay – a new flight. If the delay is going to be 4 hours or more, you have a right to an alternative flight to your destination. The same applies both to domestic and international flights to or from Brazil.

What else?

In addition to this, the airline must:

  • Inform you about the flight status.
  • Inform you about the new departure time. You should be receiving updates from the airline every 30 minutes or more often. Most likely this is going to be a regular airport announcement, make sure to pay attention to them.

Right to Flight Delay Compensation

In some cases, you can get flight delay compensation.

If you don’t get any assistance and care from the airline, you could be entitled to compensation of up to €1500. There are no specific compensation amounts according to the distance and length of the flight. The compensation will depend on each passenger’s circumstances and several factors such as the distance of the flight, the reason why the flight was delayed and the type of services (that weren’t offered).

You can get compensation if your flight was:

  • Within the last 5 years – for domestic flights;
  • 2 years – for international flights.

You can’t get compensation if your flight was delayed or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.

Read more: Extraordinary Circumstances

EU Flight Delay Compensation

If you are flying from Brazil on EU, EEA or UK airline, or simply flying from EU, EEA or UK, you are protected by European laws. 

In Europe, there are more situations when you can receive compensation from the airline because EU/UK compensation laws are different than those in Brazil. You are entitled to compensation even if you have received care from the airline (food, refreshments, hotel, transfer).

When you are entitled to compensation in the EU/UK?

  • If you have arrived at your destination 3+ hours later;
  • If your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure;
  • If your flight has been overbooked, and you have been denied boarding.

However, conditions apply to qualify for compensation:

  • Flight disruption must be due to the airline’s fault (including technical problems).
  • The flight must depart from a European airport, or land in European airport.
  • If you are flying from a country outside Europe (EU/UK), your flight must be operated by a European (EU/UK) airline.

If your flight has been delayed or cancelled due to bad weather or other extraordinary circumstances, you can’t get compensation. But you are still entitled to right to care. The European laws are similar when it comes to passengers rights. If you have to wait at the airport for 3 or more hours, you can get a free meal and refreshments. If the delay is long, and the flight departs only on the next day, you can get a free hotel stay and transfer.

Also, you are entitled to assistance for communication.

How to Get Flight Delay Compensation

There are two options. Number one — you can do it on your own. You can contact the airline, and request a compensation for flight delay or cancellation.

Or you can work with a flight compensation company. At the moment, your best bet would be AirHelp. They are a market leader in both European and Brazilian flight compensation claims. With them, it’s super simple, quick, and — if it doesn’t work out — you don’t pay anything for their legal services. So, it’s also safe.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Has your flight from, to or within Brazil ever been delayed? Did the airline offer you assistance at the airport? Did you receive Brazilian flight delay compensation?


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