Missed Self-Transfer Flight Compensation

Are you eligible for missed self-transfer flight compensation?

Self-transfer connecting flights can significantly reduce travel costs, a strategy embraced by thousands daily. However, there are crucial factors to consider before opting for this type of booking. While on a self-transfer flight, you have less support compared to a regular connecting flight. You won’t receive airline assistance as you would with a typical connecting flight and may not get compensation for the full journey if you miss your connection.

You can’t claim compensation for your entire journey and the missed connection, but you might be eligible for compensation due to the specific disrupted flight.

Continue reading to learn more.

Check flight compensation online.

1. Can You Get Missed Self-Transfer Flight Compensation?

The answer has two parts:

1. You won’t receive compensation for a missed connection. You are not eligible for missed self-transfer flight compensation because such a thing doesn’t exist.
2. However, you might get compensation for a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight. Specifically, this applies to the “first flight” that caused you to miss the connection. Compensation for this flight may be possible, but it won’t be paid immediately.

A self-transfer happens when you book two or more flights separately and plan the connection yourself. It’s not a traditional connecting flight. This means if your connection is missed due to a delay or cancellation, you aren’t entitled to a free new flight, and none of the airlines involved are responsible for the problem.

While you can’t get compensation for a missed self-transfer flight, you might qualify for care and other types of compensation.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be entitled to:

• UK / EU flight delay compensation – if your flight is delayed for 3+ hours due to the airline’s fault;
• UK / EU flight cancellation compensation – if your flight is cancelled at the last-minute due to the airline’s fault;
• UK / EU denied boarding compensation – if your flight is overbooked, and you are denied boarding.

In practice, self-transfer flight compensation is compensation for flight cancellations, flight overbooking, or flight delays. It applies to the specific disrupted flight and not the entire journey. For instance, if you have booked two separate flights, such as a short Ryanair flight and a Turkish Airlines flight, and the Ryanair flight is significantly delayed, causing you to miss the Turkish Airlines flight, you would need to arrange a new flight (book it and pay for it yourself). You may be entitled to compensation only for the first flight, and only if the delay is the airline’s fault. For short-distance flights like this, the compensation amount is limited to €250.

1.1 Flight Delay Compensation

Your flight delay must be 3 or more hours, and it must be due to the airline’s fault.

For example, airline staff strikes and technical problems are considered the airline’s fault.

In situations like these, you can get up to €600 compensation from the airline.

1.2 Flight Cancellation Compensation

To determine eligibility for flight cancellation compensation, there are certain criteria that must be met.

If cancellation happens 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to flight cancellation compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

If cancellation happens less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to flight cancellation compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Conditions for receiving compensation:

• It’s a last-minute flight cancellation (less than 14 days before departure);
• Cancellation is due to the fault of your airline;
• The flight is to or from Europe. If it’s a non-European airline, the flight must be from a European airport.

1.3 Flight Overbooking Compensation / Denied Boarding Compensation

Flight overbooking compensation and denied boarding compensation are essentially the same.

It’s the compensation you receive if you’re involuntarily bumped off a flight due to overbooking. It happens when the airline sells more tickets than available seats on the plane to prevent losses in case of no-shows.

If you’re denied boarding involuntarily, here are your choices:

• Accept a new flight to your destination;
• If the new flight doesn’t fit your schedule and you need to fly ASAP, opt for a full refund.
• If necessary, arrange a new flight independently.

If you accept to give up your seat in exchange to a later flight, it is called “voluntary denied boarding”, and you are not entitled to EU denied boarding compensation (of €250, €400 or €600).

Read more: What to Do if You Have Been Denied Boarding?

2. Right to Care

If you miss your connection, you’ll have to arrange and pay for a new flight, meals, and accommodation yourself. If you have travel insurance, it may cover the costs.

However, you are entitled to care if your flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked, even for self-transfer flights. In case of a delay, cancellation or overbooking, the airline should provide free meals and accommodation for that disrupted flight, not the missed connection.

Read more:

• What Is the “Right to Care” in Air Travel?
• Who Has a Right to Care and Assistance From an Airline?

3. How to Claim Self-Transfer Flight Compensation?

How to claim flight delay compensation, flight cancellation compensation and denied boarding compensation? These compensations fall under UK/EU regulations, and two claim options are available.

1. One option is to reach out to the airline directly through their customer support website to request compensation. Be aware that this process can be lengthy. Prepare yourself for negotiations and ensure you have all the necessary flight details and information about the delay.
2. Another way is to seek legal help, where legal professionals (a flight compensation company) manage everything, requiring you to fill out only one compensation claim form.

3.1 How Much is Flight Compensation in Europe?

The amount of compensation varies depending on the length of your flight.

In most situations, you can receive from 250 to 600 euros per passenger.

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

Read more:

• How Much Is Flight Compensation in Europe?
• Who Is Eligible for UK/EU Flight Compensation?

4. What Happens if You Miss Your Self-Transfer Flight?

What to do if you miss your flight on a self-transfer flight journey?

Missing a self-transfer flight, where the connecting flights are not covered under a single booking, can be particularly stressful. However, there are steps you can take to manage the situation effectively.

1. Collect all the necessary documents, including booking references, boarding passes, and proof of any delays that caused you to miss the connection.
2. Head to the customer service desk of the airline. Explain the situation and see if they can assist you in any way. While they are not obligated to help, some airlines may offer solutions or discounted rebooking options.
3. Simultaneously, you should look at alternative flights to your destination and book the earliest one available. Typically, passengers are responsible for booking and paying for their alternative flights, as airlines usually do not rebook passengers who miss their self-transfer flights. Remember, it’s up to you to catch your connection as it’s a do-it-yourself connecting flight.
4. Check the travel insurance policy. It is crucial as they may cover additional expenses incurred due to missed connections.
5. Keep all receipts and document every step of the process for potential claims or reimbursements.

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Compensation (for airline-protected transfers)

Do you have more questions about self-transfer flights? Do you have more questions about missed self-transfer flight compensation? Ask in the comments.