Transfer flight

Traveling by plane with a transfer is often the only way to reach remote corners of the world. However, such connections are often complicated and carry the risk of delays. If the first flight departs several hours late, the passenger may not make it to their transfer.

We explain when you are entitled to compensation for a delayed connecting flight, who is responsible for a missed connection, and what rights passengers have.

What is a transfer flight?

A transfer flight is a journey in which a passenger travels to their destination with at least one stop (connection) at another airport. During the journey, the passenger changes planes and sometimes also carriers in order to continue the flight.

In practice, this means that such a flight can be:

• On one ticket - this is a so-called connecting flight. This means that all legs of the journey are part of a single booking, and the airline is responsible for getting passengers to their destination.
• On separate reservations - each leg of the route is treated as a separate flight, with a separate ticket and check-in.

Connecting flight - possible causes of disruption

Connecting flights are more complex than direct connections. For this reason, travel disruptions are much more likely to occur.

The most common causes of disruptions to connecting flights include:

• delays to the previous flight preventing passengers from reaching their connecting flight on time;
• technical problems with the aircraft;
• adverse weather conditions;
• staff shortages or strikes;
• congestion at airports;
• organizational errors on the part of the carrier.

Even a slight delay on the first leg of the journey can cause the traveler to miss their connection.

Missed connection - who is responsible?

Responsibility for a missed connecting flight depends primarily on the type of airline ticket.

If the entire connecting flight was purchased on a single ticket, i.e., a single booking with the same carrier, the airline is responsible for getting passengers to their destination. In this case, the carrier is obliged to provide an alternative connection. What's more, if certain conditions are met, travelers can apply for compensation for a delayed connecting flight.

If the passenger has purchased separate tickets from different airlines, each airline is only responsible for its own leg of the journey. Therefore, in this situation, a missed connecting flight does not entitle the passenger to compensation, even if it is due to a delay in the first flight.

When does an airline have to pay compensation for a delayed transfer flight?

Passengers are entitled to compensation for a delayed connecting flight if the total delay at the destination is at least 3 hours. Furthermore, the disruption to the flight must not be due to extraordinary circumstances. These rules are laid down in the legal basis, Regulation EU 261/2004, which regulates passenger rights in the European Union.

To receive compensation for a delayed transfer flight, the journey must be on a single ticket (as part of a single booking) and include both the initial flight and the connecting flight. Importantly, the airline must be at fault. It is also important that the flight starts or ends at an airport in the European Union or is operated by an EU carrier.

Flight with a transfer and the occurrence of extraordinary circumstances

An airline may be exempt from the obligation to pay compensation for a delayed flight with a transfer if the disruption was caused by so-called extraordinary circumstances. These are events over which the carrier had no influence despite taking all reasonable measures.

Such situations include, among others, difficult weather conditions, air traffic control strikes, security threats, political instability, or other random events that the airline could not prevent. However, the carrier is not exempt from providing adequate care to passengers.

Connecting flight or separate bookings – what determines compensation?

The type of airline ticket is definitely one of the most important factors in determining whether a traveler is entitled to compensation for a delayed connecting flight.

If the entire journey was purchased on a single ticket, i.e., as part of a single booking, the airline is obliged to bring passengers to their destination. In the event of a delay that results in a missed connection, the carrier must provide travelers with an alternative connection. In addition, if the conditions of Regulation EU 261/2004 are met, airlines are required to pay compensation for a delayed flight.

In the case of separate bookings, the situation is different. Each leg of the journey is treated as a separate flight. For this reason, airlines are only responsible for their own leg of the journey. Therefore, if the first flight is delayed, causing the passenger to miss the next flight, compensation will not be payable. This is because there are two separate, independent contracts of carriage.

What rights does a passenger have in the event of a delayed transfer flight?

A traveler whose connecting flight has been delayed has a number of rights under EU Regulation 261/2005.

Regardless of whether compensation for a delayed transfer flight will ultimately be payable in a given situation, the carrier is obliged to provide passengers with care and assistance while they wait for a replacement flight. Basic passenger rights include meals and drinks appropriate to the waiting time, the possibility of making phone calls, hotel accommodation and transport to and from the airport, as well as the right to change the itinerary or a refund of the air ticket.

If the delay at the destination is more than 3 hours, the traveler also has the right to claim compensation for a delayed connecting flight, provided that the flight was part of a single booking and was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. This also applies if the connecting flight was canceled less than 14 days before departure or if boarding was denied. Importantly, the traveler has the right to claim compensation for a delayed connecting flight for the entire journey, not just for the part that was delayed.

How to calculate the amount of compensation for a delayed connecting flight?

The amount of compensation for a delayed connecting flight depends on the total length of the flight between the place of departure and the destination, and on the length of the delay at the time of arrival.

There are three compensation thresholds depending on the length of the flight:

• €250 - for flights up to 1,500 km;
• €400 for flights within the European Union of more than 1,500 km and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km;
• €600 for flights of more than 3,500 km.

For connecting flights, the delay is calculated at the destination, not at the transfer point. Therefore, if the first leg of the journey was delayed by one hour, but the passenger arrived at their destination more than three hours late due to a missed connection, they are entitled to full compensation for the delayed flight.

How to file a claim for compensation for a delayed transfer flight?

Filing a claim for compensation for a delayed transfer flight is relatively simple. However, it requires gathering the relevant documents and travel confirmations.

To receive compensation, first of all, remember to keep the relevant travel documents - boarding pass, booking confirmation, emails from the airline, as well as information about the delay and flight change. Make sure that the trip was on a single ticket and that the delay at the destination was at least 3 hours. You can submit a claim for compensation for a delayed flight online, directly on the airline's website.

However, if you don't have the time or legal knowledge needed to successfully claim compensation on your own, especially through the courts, trust the specialists at AirCashBack. Join the thousands of satisfied airline passengers we have helped. You can receive up to €600 in compensation for a delayed or canceled flight! Submit your claim on our website or click the button below.