Flight Delay Compensation Ireland

If you’ve experienced a flight delay in Ireland, leaving Ireland, or on your way to Ireland – the ordeal likely left you feeling stressed and anxious. The good news is that there’s an EU law that protects you when your flight has gone awry.

Continue reading to learn more about how AirHelp helps to enforce your air travel rights.

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Suffered A Flight Delay? Find Out How Much You’re Owed

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Flight Delay Compensation Ireland - When Am I Entitled To Compensation?

According to EC regulation, EC 261, you are entitled to compensation if:

  • Your flight was delayed by 3 hours or more

  • Your flight was set to depart from an EU airport or took off from a non-EU airport as long as the airline was EU based

  • You have a valid flight ticket/e-ticket

  • The flight issue happened within the time limit provided in your country

  • The delay is directly due to the fault of the airline


What Are You Entitled To When Your Flight Is Delayed?

When your flight is delayed, according to EU regulation, what you are entitled to, depends on the length of the delay and the distance of the route involved.

Let’s break it down so it’s easier to digest.

0 – 2 hours or more delay

  • You have a right to information from the airline so that you stay informed on any updates concerning your flight.

  • You can find out the current status of your flight from sources like the check-in desk or the airline’s website.

2 hours or more delay

  • If your flight is delayed for 2 hours or more, the airline should offer you free refreshments (or vouchers to buy them), 2 free telephone calls, faxes, or emails.

  • Should staying in a hotel become necessary, free accommodation should be provided by the airline as well as transport to and from the airport.

N.B. Before you accept a voucher, read the fine print to make sure that by accepting it, you do not waive any of your rights to cash compensation.

3 hours or more delay

  • You are entitled to claim compensation of up to €600.

  • The amount of compensation you are owed depends on the length of the delay past the original arrival time at your final destination.

Our chart explains the compensation amounts in a way that’s easy to digest:

Less than 3 hours3 - 4 hoursMore than 4 hoursNever arrivedDistance
❌ €-✔️ €250✔️ €250✔️ €250All flights 1,500 km or less
❌ €-✔️ €400✔️ €400✔️ €400Internal EU flights over 1,500 km
❌ €-✔️ €400✔️ €400✔️ €400Non-internal EU flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km
❌ €-✔️ €300✔️ €600✔️ €600 Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km

5 hours or more delay

In addition to claiming compensation as stated above, if your flight is delayed for 5 hours or more –

  • You can ask for reimbursement of the full price of your ticket, i.e. a refund.

  • If you have already started your journey and it’s no longer possible for you to carry on with your original travel plan (e.g. you missed your connecting flight due to the flight delay) then the airline must give you a free return flight to your original point of origin.

  • If either of these provisions are not offered free-of-charge by the airline, the airline is required to reimburse you for all the expenses you incurred.

  • This is why it’s important to hold on to all your receipts.


Delayed Flight Rights for Irish Citizens

Ireland is part of the European Union which means that Ireland and all countries in the European Union are protected by EC 261.

According to this EU regulation regardless of where you are based, as long as:

  • Your flight is within the EU and is operated by an EU or a non-EU airline.

  • Your flight lands in an EU airport from outside the EU and is operated by an EU airline.

  • Your flight took off from an EU airport to a non-EU airport operated by an EU or a non-EU airline.

You are entitled to make a claim for flight delay compensation Ireland if you experience a flight delay.

To help you understand this clearer, we created this chart:

ItineraryEU Air CarrierNon-EU Air Carrier
From inside the EU to inside the EU✔️ Covered✔️ Covered
From outside the EU to inside the EU✔️ Covered✔️ Not Covered
From outside the EU to inside the EU✔️ Covered❌ Not Covered
From outside the EU to outside the EU❌ Not Covered❌ Not Covered

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Flight Delay Compensation Ireland - When Are You Not Entitled To Compensation?

According to EC 261, if you face a flight disruption that is the direct result of an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ – the airline does not owe you compensation. The logic behind this is the airline should not have to pay for exceptional circumstances that are beyond the airline’s foresight and control.

As the name suggests, ‘extraordinary circumstances’ include extreme weather conditions like snow blizzards, terrorist acts, political instability and medical emergencies.

In 2018, the European Court of Justice made a significant ruling on what was not to be counted as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and now an airline strike is not considered as an extraordinary circumstance.

This means that if you have suffered a flight delay due to an airline strike, you are eligible to claim cash compensation from the airline.

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What Is Owed In Other Flight Circumstances?

Missed Connection Flight

If you miss a connecting flight as a result of your flight delay, you are eligible to compensation providing the airline is at fault.

Learn more about missed connection flight compensation and what you could be owed here.

Canceled Flight

Should your flight be canceled, the airline is obligated to arrange a new flight for you, give a refund or if the airline is at fault – provide compensation.

In our section here about canceled flight compensation, we go into more detail about your rights and what you could be entitled to.

Business Trip

When an employee suffers a flight issue in Ireland – who is entitled to the compensation, the employee or the company?

According to EU law, the answer is simple. It doesn’t matter if the company paid for the ticket – it is the passenger who should get compensation.

Group Travel

If a group (for e.g. family) suffer a flight issue, are each of them entitled to flight delay compensation in Ireland or is the compensation divided amongst the group?

According to EC regulation, each passenger that travels is entitled to compensation.

Child Travel

If your child is 2 years old or over, as long as you paid for a flight seat for them to travel, you are able to claim compensation on their behalf if you all suffer a flight mishap that is the fault of the airline.

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Why Choose AirHelp?

  • Leading solution for travelers who’ve suffered flight issues

  • Helped over 16 million passengers enforce their air travel rights globally

  • Take on the bureaucratic and legal process so you don’t have to

  • Keep you informed every step of the process

  • Operate on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis, so you have zero risk

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