According to RefundMyTicket monitoring the air traffic around Europe, summer 2018 saw 1.28% of flights cancelled, compared to 0.63% last year over the same period. Delays of more than 3 hours have also increased, from 0.41% of flights in the summer of 2017 to 0.54% of flights this year.
The compensation rate, which combines a delay rate of more than 3 hours and a cancellation rate, rose from 1.04% of flights in the summer of 2017 to 1.83% this year. The percentage of flights eligible under Regulation 261/2004, and for which passengers are therefore eligible for compensation, increased by nearly +76% in the summer of 2018 compared to the same period last year.
The delay rate of more than one hour, which is not included in the calculation of the compensation rate during summer 2018, is also increasing, affecting 6.30% of flights, compared to 4.40% last summer
It is estimated that between June and August 2018, that air traffic represented approximately 318 million passengers. With a compensation rate of 1.83%, the number of injured passengers eligible for compensation under European Regulation 261/2004 therefore amounts to more than 5.8 million. This is almost twice as much as last year over the same period (3.1 million).
With an average compensation of 380 euros per passenger, more than 2.2 billion euros could therefore be claimed from airlines if all injured passengers this summer applied for compensation (compared to 1.2 billion in the summer of 2017).
Of the 30 most active airlines in Europe this summer, only 3 have improved their cancellation rates compared to last summer - Air Baltic, Air Europa and Transavia - and 2 have maintained an equal rate - Aegean Airlines and Turkish Airlines.
Less than half (12) have improved their delay rate by more than 3 hours compared to last summer - Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, Air Europa, Iberia, Air Baltic, Alitalia, SWISS, Lufthansa, Transavia, Austrian, KLM and Binter Canarias.
Only 5 improved their compensation rate compared to last summer - Air Baltic, Air Europa, Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines and Transavia - and 1 maintained an equal rate - Alitalia.
Among the 30 most active airlines in Europe this summer, Vueling has the highest compensation rate: 4.06%, with 2.89% cancelled flights and 1.17% delayed flights of more than 3 hours. This is not only the highest compensation rate, but also the largest increase compared to last year (+3.63%).
The company is followed in this ranking by Eurowings (3.09%), LOT - Polish Airlines (3.08%), Austrian (3.03%) and easyJet (2.49%).
Vueling also has the 2nd highest rate of flights delayed more than 1 hour (13.33%), just behind TAP Portugal (13.38%).
On the other hand, the top three air traffic providers are Transavia, with a compensation rate of 0.13%, up 0.05 points from last summer, Air Baltic at 0.14% (-0.66% from summer 2017) and Aegean at 0.18% (+0.03%).
