Your Croatia Airlines compensation claim is rejected.
You’ve sought compensation and your request has been turned down.
This could be rather frustrating if you’ve been attempting to claim Croatia Airlines compensation on your own, particularly if you’re uncertain whether you’re even eligible for compensation. What’s the next step? Is it worth the hassle? Absolutely, it’s worth pursuing. You could consider delegating the task to a flight compensation agency to take it forward on your behalf. However, that’s not the only route.
You have the right to persist in your fight independently.
Your Croatia Airlines Compensation Claim Is Rejected. Now What?
There are alternative routes to getting that compensation from Croatia Airlines .
But first things first, before escalating the situation further, make sure to double-check the law and reassess your rights – are you entitled to European flight compensation?
1. Collaborating with Flight Compensation Companies
The most straightforward approach is to collaborate with a flight compensation agency.
All you’re required to do is fill out a form, submit copies of your boarding pass and passport and sign the claim documents online. Generally, you don’t have to stress about anything else. The agency handles the rest. You’re not required to contact Croatia Airlines hereafter.
If any additional queries arise, questions only you can respond to, the agency will reach out to you. The only disadvantage is the service charge. Most flight compensation agencies deduct around 25-45% of the compensation.
It’s the easiest way to get Croatia Airlines compensation, but it costs.
Our partners provide such a service.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
How much does it cost?
Generally, the fee equates to roughly 25 to 45 per cent of the compensation. The remainder is forwarded to you. If you aren’t granted any compensation, you incur no charges. Make sure to check the fees of the company you plan to work with.
Read more:
- Your Croatia Airlines Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?
- How to Claim Croatia Airlines Compensation?
2. Getting in Touch with the NEB of the Country Your Flight Departed From (Country of Departure)
Collaborating with a flight compensation agency is not the exclusive solution.
Reaching out to the NEB (National Enforcement Bodies) is the subsequent step after you’ve attempted to engage directly with the airline and have either been denied or not received a response. This service is free. However, it’s not as effortless as collaborating with a flight compensation agency, and it can be time-consuming. Ordinarily, they take a minimum of 2 months to process your compensation request.
The major disadvantage — a favourable response to your plea doesn’t ensure you’ll be awarded compensation. Croatia Airlines can still reject the plea.
You can locate a list of the National Enforcement Bodies here.
The National Enforcement Bodies assist passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight delay or cancellation, as well as enforces the regulation Regulation (EC) 261/2004 and makes sure passengers are treated according to these rules.
3. Taking the Case to Court
Moving forward, you might need to consider court proceedings.
It’s recommended that you first get a favourable decision from the NEB. This plays a vital role in strengthening your case against the airline (Croatia Airlines in this case). In some cases, this will be the only way to get your Croatia Airlines compensation claim accepted.
While it is the most complicated way, it’s also highly effective. Prior to filing your complaint in court, ensure your claim is valid. Re-evaluate your rights and prepare your defence. Only after doing so can you be certain that it’s worth initiating court proceedings. If you receive a ruling from the NEB granting you compensation, include it in your court documents.
Bear in mind, that taking your complaint to court comes with expenses.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Not always airlines are telling the full truth.
They like to provide vague reasons and leave it at that.
They really like to call “everything” exceptional circumstances. The rationale behind this is quite straightforward — you don’t have to pay compensation in these situations.
Airlines are aware that a majority of passengers are not thoroughly knowledgeable about their rights. And so, they exploit this to their advantage. Hence, it’s crucial to be sceptical when you encounter this term in the future, especially when dealing with anything related to flight compensation claim.
According to EU regulation 261/2004, airlines are excused from paying flight compensation when the disruption happens due to extraordinary circumstances. These extraordinary circumstances comprise severe weather conditions, staff strikes, and hidden manufacturing defects.
Yes, you read that right, only hidden manufacturing defects fall under extraordinary circumstances. Most technical issues are considered the airline’s liability (airline’s responsibility).
Moreover, unfavourable weather isn’t always an extraordinary circumstance. In certain instances, the weather is perfectly foreseeable. For instance — snowfall during the winter months (unless snowfall is a rarity there). In such situations, the airline is expected to adopt the necessary measures to ensure the flight operates punctually.
Determine the actual reason for the delay or cancellation.
It’s important.
When Is It Possible to Claim Flight Compensation From Croatia Airlines?
There are a number of scenarios where you are eligible to seek flight compensation. These include flight delays, cancellations, and instances of denied boarding due to the flight being overbooked.
1. Flight Delays
According to EU regulation 261/2004, compensation can be claimed if your flight reaches its destination more than three hours behind schedule.
How much you can claim depends on the duration of the delay and the distance flown. To illustrate, if a flight from Zagreb to Munich, a journey of less than 1,500km, is delayed by four hours, you could be compensated to the tune of €250. If there are two of you flying together, you can get €500. The same rules apply also to infants.
Read more: Croatia Airlines Flight Delay Compensation
2. Flight Cancellations
Should your flight be cancelled and you were not informed at least 14 days in advance, you qualify for flight cancellation compensation.
The compensation total depends based on the distance flown and the delay experienced in reaching your final stop. To take a case in point, if a flight from Split to Tokyo, a large distance of over 3,500km, is cancelled without sufficient notice and you reach your planned destination four hours late using a replacement flight, a compensation amount of €600 could be forthcoming.
Read more: Croatia Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation
3. Denied Boarding Due to Overbooking
It is a common practice for airlines to overbook flights in anticipation of some passengers not turning up. If you are denied boarding because of overbooking and you didn’t willingly give up your seat, you can claim compensation.
The compensation amount is dependent on the distance flown. For instance, on a flight from Dubrovnik to Amsterdam, a medium distance between 1,500km and 3,500km, if you are denied boarding due to overbooking and reach your final destination three hours late, you could receive €400 in compensation.
Read more: Croatia Airlines Denied Boarding Compensation
What is your experience with Croatia Airlines compensation claims? Do you have a first-hand experience of denied Croatia Airlines compensation claim? Did you take the case to NEB or court?