AIR TRAVEL DELAYS ON THE RISE.

PositionYOUR LIFE

In the first six months of 2018, including a chaotic start to the summer with loads of air travel delays, there was a massive increase in flights eligible for compensation. In many countries, the amount has doubled and even tripled compared to the first six months of 2017. Increased ticket prices due to rising fuel costs, lack of pilots, strikes, insufficient airport capacity, and vacation delays are causing havoc, says Henrik Zillmer, CEO of AirHelp, New York, an air passenger rights company.

AirHelp analysts indicate that an estimated 415,800 U.S. air passengers have experienced a flight delay, cancellation, or overbooking, and the total amount of money owed for this period is more than $292,000,000. During the same time period last year, approximately 260,900 U.S. air passengers experienced severe flight disruptions, and may be entitled to compensation according to EU law EC261.

The increase of flight disruption compensation owed is due to many different factors, one being a ruling made by the European Court of Justice earlier this year which established that strikes among airline staff no longer can be considered extraordinary circumstances that would free the airline from being held responsible for work stoppages--or from its legal obligation to make it...

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