The European Union guarantee basic rights for all passengers. This legislation applies to passengers departing from airports situated within the territory of a Member State and all those arriving into such airports from a third country where the flight is operated by an EU carrier.

Your rights when travelling by air include:

• the right to information;
• the right to reimbursement or re-routing if your flight gets cancelled or you are denied boarding;
• the right to reimbursement if your flight is delayed by five hours or more;
• the right to assistance and, under certain circumstances, the right to compensation in the event of long delay, cancellation or denied boarding;
• the right to complain and have access to means of redress;
• the right to travel in the same conditions as other citizens if you have a disability or a reduced mobility.

European legislation also stipulates who is responsible in the case of a long delay, death, injury or mishandled baggage to ensure you will always get what you are entitled to.

The European Commission has developed a smartphone app to enable passengers using these phones to consult their rights immediately for any problem which might arise at the airport. You can find it at the link below: