Delayed flight at Gothenburg Landvetter: compensation

If you start your journey at Gothenburg Landvetter, EU261 normally covers you. Article 3(1)(a) is aimed at passengers leaving an airport in a Member State, and Gothenburg Landvetter Airport is in Sweden. The airline's home country normally makes no difference to departures from here.

If you are instead landing at Gothenburg Landvetter, the assessment depends on conditions. When the aircraft arrives from an airport outside the EU, an EU-registered airline is normally decisive (Article 3(1)(b), in the Consumer Agency's summary), whereas a flight from another EU airport is judged by its departure there. Your own route and the airline that really flew decide your case.

The table starts at Gothenburg Landvetter and uses seven example destinations. The nearest is Copenhagen (229 km) and the furthest Miami (7,756 km). Article 7 gives the levels 250 € for Copenhagen (229 km) and Amsterdam (764 km), 400 € for Barcelona (1,959 km), Palma (2,129 km) and Tenerife (3,985 km) and 600 € for Dubai (4,943 km) and Miami (7,756 km). For flights entirely within the EU the level is 400 € even when the route is longer than 3,500 km, for example Tenerife.

The figures are straight-line distances worked out with the same rules engine as this site's check, per passenger and provided the other conditions are met. The destinations are only distance examples to show the levels. They do not mean that any particular airline operates them.

Always begin with the airline. Article 16 of the regulation requires each Member State to appoint a body for its implementation and lets passengers complain to such a body.

A different provision is section 14 of the Swedish Air Transport Act (2010:510): the Consumer Agency supervises whether airlines, agents, tour operators and ticket sellers comply with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The Act does not designate the Consumer Agency as the Article 16 body.

Keep in mind what the Consumer Agency does not do: it does not assess individual cases, decide disputes or pursue the company for you, but it does receive reports about companies that break the rules. For compensation claims the Swedish Transport Agency points to the National Board for Consumer Disputes. If you live in Sweden and the airline is registered in another EU, EEA or UK country, Konsument Europa is available as an adviser.

Swedavia runs Gothenburg Landvetter Airport and develops it. On Swedavia's FAQ page, booking questions are to be put to the airline, and compensation for delays is not covered there. You therefore request your compensation from the airline. Swedavia's start page for Gothenburg Landvetter gathers departures and arrivals, contact details, assistance, unaccompanied children and security wait times, and in the Swedavia app you can follow your flight and get notifications when something changes.

Under Articles 6 and 9 the airline must offer meals and refreshments in reasonable proportion to the waiting time when it reasonably expects a delay of two hours or more (flights of 1,500 km or less), three hours or more (flights within the EU of more than 1,500 km) or four hours or more (all other flights). If an overnight stay becomes necessary, a hotel room and transport between the airport and the hotel must be offered free of charge.

Assistance for passengers with a disability is ordered from the airline, preferably already when booking and at least 48 hours before departure. Swedavia describes the service as free. At Gothenburg Landvetter, Swedavia's staff help with check-in, security screening, the way to the gate and boarding, and for pre-booked assistance the aim is to meet you within 30 minutes or at an agreed time. On arrival the aim is 5 minutes after the aircraft reaches the gate and never longer than 20 minutes. Without a booking you may wait up to 45 minutes, or help may not be possible.

Did something go wrong at Gothenburg Landvetter? Choose a category below and read what applies.