The most important facts about “Ukraine and air travelers”
- Flights are being canceled due to the war in Ukraine.
- Airlines are canceling flights for safety reasons.
- Passengers have the right to a refund or rebooking of their flight.
- However, it is unlikely that compensation will be paid with a long lead time.
- Flight delays are possible, but there is no entitlement to compensation.
- Airlines should inform passengers quickly of any possible inconvenience.
- Here you will find tips for affected passengers.
Did you have a flight delay or cancellation? Check your rights now and increase your chances of compensation
The war in Ukraine is a terrible event. And even though it could not sound more banal in view of the situation, there are nevertheless questions in this context that air travellers must now ask themselves. What if a flight is cancelled due to war? Can I claim a ticket refund? The answers can be found in the following blog article.
My flight was cancelled
Can I get my money back if my flight is cancelled due to war? It is not only a flight to Russia or Ukraine that can be affected by cancellations due to the current situation. War is considered an extraordinary circumstance, which means that it is not the airline’s fault if your flight does not take place. You cannot claim compensation in this situation, but you can claim a ticket refund from the airline.
Flight cancelled due to Ukraine conflict – These are your rights
You have a right to:
- A refund of the full price of the flight ticket
- Rebook your trip so that you arrive at your destination at a different time
- a voucher for at least the same amount as the original ticket.
I have not heard from the airline about the status of my flight
If your flight has been cancelled and you have not heard from the airline, you should proactively ask here. However, keep in mind that currently no one can know when the situation in Ukraine will improve. Therefore, the airlines cannot yet give you any precise information about your flights with regard to some journeys.
Since the airspace over Europe is closed for Russian airlines, you must expect a cancellation for planned flights with one of these airlines.
However, with these Ukrainian and Russian airlines, it is very likely that your flight will be affected:
- Aero-Charter Airlines
- Aeromist-kharkiv
- AeroSvit
- Air Alanna
- Air Urga
- Bravo Airways
- Dart Ukrainian Airlines
- Dniproavia
- Donbassaero
- JONIKA
- Motor Sich Airlines
- SkyUp
- Ukraine International
- WINDROSE Aviation company
- Wizz Air Ukraine
- Yanair
- Utair
- Aeroflot
- Pobeda
- Russiya
- Iraero
But it is not only Ukrainian and Russian airlines that may experience flight cancellations due to the war. Currently, there are no flights to Belarus, Ukraine or Moldova. Of course, these restrictions also affect airlines such as Lufthansa, Wizzair or Ryanair.
My flight is delayed
Since, among other things, the airspace over Ukraine and Russia is closed, flights between Europe and Asia in particular may be delayed. If your flight is delayed due to the war in Ukraine, you are not entitled to compensation. An armed conflict is considered an extraordinary circumstance and is therefore beyond the control of the airlines.
Travel – Guidelines
If you are planning to travel to Russia or Ukraine within the next few months, be sure to visit the State Department’s website. There you will find travel advice for all countries affected by the conflict.
How can Flightright help you?
Do you need help with your ticket refund?
Tip: Flightright can help you enforce your air passenger rights! You can check your claims with us free of charge.
As the market-leading consumer portal, Flightright fights for the enforcement of air passenger rights. We stand up for your rights in the event of a flight delay, cancellation or denied boarding and refer to the European Union’s Air Passenger Rights Regulation 261/2004. Flightright’s air passenger rights experts are also happy to help you with ticket refunds and refunds for canceled package tours.
One more thing is close to our hearts
We support “Aktion Deutschland Hilft” and “Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft” (IBAN: DE53200400600200400600), which are committed to helping people in need.
If you would like to donate part of your compensation, please send the amount directly to the organization.
You can find more information at https://www.spendenkonto-nothilfe.de/. Of course, we are also happy to receive any donation to another aid organization that helps people in Ukraine.
Our thoughts and our solidarity are with the people of Ukraine.
Hang in there.