Premium flights, passenger rights: Your El Al experience
Even established, full-service airlines like El Al (founded in 1948, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel) experience operational issues. When you book a flight with a premium carrier, you expect reliability.
If your El Al 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 El Al 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.
El Al Operational Performance
Based on our latest data, out of 700 recent departures:
- 84% of El Al flights departed on time.
- 2.5% were cancelled.
- 13.5% suffered significant delays.
Your passenger rights with El Al
Under EU and UK law (EC 261), El Al's passengers are entitled to financial compensation in specific scenarios:
schedule
Delayed Flights
If you arrived at your final destination over 3 hours late, you could claim from El Al.
cancel
Cancelled Flights
El Al must compensate you if they cancelled your flight less than 14 days before departure.
group_off
Denied Boarding
If El Al overbooked the flight and denied you boarding against your will, you have full rights to compensation.
How much El Al compensation can you get?
As a legacy carrier, El Al 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 El Al flights over 3,500km.
Lost baggage with El Al
If El Al 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 El Al disruption
Follow these steps if your El Al flight is interrupted:
- 1 Keep your documents: Save your El Al booking reference and boarding pass.
- 2 Ask for the reason: Ask El Al staff at the gate exactly why the flight is delayed or cancelled.
- 3 Request care: Ask El Al for food and drink vouchers during long waits.
- 4 Don't sign waivers: Be careful not to sign away your rights in exchange for El Al air miles or vouchers.
- 5 Keep expense receipts: Keep receipts for any extra expenses incurred.
When El Al cancels your flight
If El Al 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 El Al
For flights delayed by more than 3 hours at arrival, El Al is required by European law to pay compensation. The amount depends strictly on the flight distance, not the ticket price.
Bumpped from a El Al flight?
Overbooking is a known practice. If El Al denies you boarding due to overcapacity, you are entitled to the same high levels of compensation as if the flight had been cancelled.
When El Al doesn't have to pay
Compensation is not applicable in 'extraordinary circumstances' – events outside of El Al's control. Examples include severe adverse weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, or medical emergencies. El Al must prove these circumstances to deny your claim.
Can you claim for El Al staff strikes?
Yes. If the strike involves El Al'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 El Al
Depending on the jurisdiction, you usually have between 3 to 6 years to submit your claim against El Al for a past flight disruption.
Let us deal with El Al
Don't get bogged down in El Al's customer service queues. We operate on a 'No Win, No Fee' basis, meaning we take all the financial risk.