Premium flights, passenger rights: Your Avianca experience
Even established, full-service airlines like Avianca (founded in 1919, headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia) experience operational issues. When you book a flight with a premium carrier, you expect reliability.
If your Avianca flight has been disrupted, you are covered by the European EC 261 Regulation. You could be owed up to €600 per passenger. We help you enforce your rights against major airlines without the stress of dealing with their complex legal departments.
If your Avianca flight has been disrupted, you are covered by the European EC 261 Regulation. You could be owed up to €600 per passenger. We help you enforce your rights against major airlines without the stress of dealing with their complex legal departments.
Avianca Operational Performance
Based on our latest data, out of 4800 recent departures:
- 82% of Avianca flights departed on time.
- 2.8% were cancelled.
- 15.2% suffered significant delays.
Your passenger rights with Avianca
Under EU and UK law (EC 261), Avianca's passengers are entitled to financial compensation in specific scenarios:
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Delayed Flights
If you arrived at your final destination over 3 hours late, you could claim from Avianca.
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Cancelled Flights
Avianca must compensate you if they cancelled your flight less than 14 days before departure.
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Denied Boarding
If Avianca overbooked the flight and denied you boarding against your will, you have full rights to compensation.
How much Avianca compensation can you get?
As a legacy carrier, Avianca operates many long-haul flights where the maximum €600 compensation applies. The payment tiers are:
- euro_symbol€250: For short flights up to 1,500km.
- euro_symbol€400: For EU flights over 1,500km, and non-EU flights between 1,500km and 3,500km.
- euro_symbol€600: For long-haul Avianca flights over 3,500km.
Lost baggage with Avianca
If Avianca loses or damages your luggage, you must fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) before leaving the airport. You could be entitled to compensation under the Montreal Convention.
How to handle a Avianca disruption
Follow these steps if your Avianca flight is interrupted:
- 1 Keep your documents: Save your Avianca booking reference and boarding pass.
- 2 Ask for the reason: Ask Avianca staff at the gate exactly why the flight is delayed or cancelled.
- 3 Request care: Ask Avianca for food and drink vouchers during long waits.
- 4 Don't sign waivers: Be careful not to sign away your rights in exchange for Avianca air miles or vouchers.
- 5 Keep expense receipts: Keep receipts for any extra expenses incurred.
When Avianca cancels your flight
If Avianca cancels your flight abruptly, you have the right to either a full refund or an alternative flight to your destination. In addition, if you were informed less than 14 days prior, you can claim up to €600 in cash compensation.
Severe delays with Avianca
For flights delayed by more than 3 hours at arrival, Avianca is required by European law to pay compensation. The amount depends strictly on the flight distance, not the ticket price.
Bumpped from a Avianca flight?
Overbooking is a known practice. If Avianca denies you boarding due to overcapacity, you are entitled to the same high levels of compensation as if the flight had been cancelled.
When Avianca doesn't have to pay
Compensation is not applicable in 'extraordinary circumstances' – events outside of Avianca's control. Examples include severe adverse weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, or medical emergencies. Avianca must prove these circumstances to deny your claim.
Can you claim for Avianca staff strikes?
Yes. If the strike involves Avianca's own employees, such as their pilots or cabin crew, it is considered within their control, and you are eligible for compensation.
Time limits for claiming against Avianca
Depending on the jurisdiction, you usually have between 3 to 6 years to submit your claim against Avianca for a past flight disruption.
Let us deal with Avianca
Don't get bogged down in Avianca's customer service queues. We operate on a 'No Win, No Fee' basis, meaning we take all the financial risk.