Discover the common problems faced by airlines and the companies that register the fewest complaints.
Air travel definitively consolidates its recovery to pre-pandemic levels, or even exceeds them. This is good news for the sector, but not for the consumer. Why? Because with more flights, there are higher risks of incidents such as delays, cancellations, denied boarding, baggage issues, or class changes. Additionally, last year, numerous airline worker strikes occurred during periods known for high travel volumes, such as summer and Christmas, leading to many cancellations and flight rescheduling.
Common Airlines Problems
Managing user complaints is a real headache for many airlines, both in terms of compensation and the resources and personnel expenses generated. This is why, in many cases, they try to avoid them by offering less advantageous agreements for the traveler or by not providing passengers with all the information about why their flight was delayed or their baggage lost.
If you have experienced a delay, cancellation, denied boarding, or baggage issues, keep reading to learn the reasons cited by the vast majority of airlines to avoid hundreds of complaints.
Adverse Weather Conditions: European Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council, dated February 11, 2004, establishes what exceptional circumstances can be considered as adverse conditions, including storms with rain or snow, dense fog, or strong winds that prevent safe flight or sufficient visibility.
Aircraft Breakdown: Regarding aircraft breakdowns, it is important to differentiate the moment when the breakdown occurs. We can only claim if the breakdown occurs before the flight and exceeds 3 hours or leads to its cancellation, as it is the airline’s responsibility to keep its entire fleet in perfect condition.
Refueling: Refueling is one of the essential parts of the usual operations of airlines and cannot be considered a cause of flight delay.
Delay Due to Air Traffic Congestion: This is one of the most common and difficult causes for the passenger to know, as there can only be a maximum number of flights that can be operated simultaneously by air traffic controllers. If your flight suffers from “ATC Capacity” (Air Traffic Control), our recommendation is to consult an expert who knows how to access this information and evaluate the possibility of filing a claim.
Pilot Unavailability and Crew Rest: These two causes are often cited quite commonly by airlines when it comes to unforeseen events for which they must have a reserve crew and pilots. These teams exist in all companies in the aviation sector.
Waiting for Passengers from Other Stops: The airline is responsible for establishing connections and waiting for passengers from other stops. In case of delay, it is very likely that a claim can be filed.
Finally, we would like to share with you the airlines that accumulated the fewest problems in 2022, starting with Iberia Express and Air Nostrum, which are part of the Iberia group, followed by the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air, the English airline Easyjet, and the German airline Lufthansa. On the other end of the spectrum, we find two Spanish companies, Vueling and Iberia, and the Irish low-cost airline Ryanair.
Expert Tips
Ultimately, there are many scenarios, reasons, and common problems that airlines cling to in order to have incidents considered as exceptional circumstances and to avoid their responsibility to the thousands of passengers who travel on their planes each year. If you find yourself in one of these situations and need specialized assistance, you can count on the experts at Flight Claim, who will inform you and take care of all the procedures.