Emirates loses compensation appeal

PASSENGERS OF NON-EU airlines who miss connecting flights due to delays will now be able to claim compensation, after the UK Court of Appeal backed a passenger who brought a case against Emirates over whether non-EU airlines should have to pay compensation in the event of missed connections.

Under European regulation EC261, passengers are legally entitled to up to 600 ($700) compensation if they are delayed on the first leg of their flight, which causes them to miss a connecting flight, meaning they arrive at their final destination more than three hours late. However Emirates, along with three other non-EU airlines, had argued that if the missed connecting flight was outside the European bloc, they were not liable to pay.

The ruling means passengers of non-EU airlines can now claim compensation whether the final destination is within or outside the EU. According to UK media reports, it could open the floodgates for more than a million passengers who had previously had their claims rejected.

Emirates said it is “seeking legal advice”. • Emirates is set to add three extra flights per week to Stockholm from December 8. The new flights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays depart Dubai at 1500 and arrive at Stockholm Arlanda airport at 1845. The return leg departs Stockholm at 2110, arriving in DXB at 0630 the next day.