Finnair Missed Connection Compensation

Finnair missed connection compensation.

How much can you claim? What happens if you miss your flight?

For those who face a missed connecting flight situation with Finnair, compensation may be due. The compensation you can request varies based on your individual situation’s specifics. Irrespective of your nationality, the cost of your ticket, or the coverage of your travel insurance, your right to claim compensation remains unaffected. This is because Finnair is obliged to comply with the EU’s regulations, and if any compensation is due, the airline is bound to pay it.

You can opt to file the claim independently or take professional help.

1. EU Missed Flight Connection Compensation

In situations where you miss your connecting flight with Finnair, you could be entitled to compensation. The regulations applicable in such instances are straightforward.

1.1 Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay: Compensation

If a delay in your initial Finnair flight results in a missed connection, you might be eligible for compensation under EU regulations.

If the airline’s actions have contributed to the delay, you could claim compensation up to €600, provided your flight is into, out of, or within Europe. As Finnair is a European airline, this rule is valid for all its flights within Europe or to and from Europe. Legally, there is no such term as “Finnair missed connection compensation,”  it’s the same Finnair flight delay compensation.

To be entitled to Finnair flight compensation, you must reach your ultimate destination at least 3 hours later than scheduled. Summarizing, the criteria for compensation include:

• Minimum delay of 3 hours;
• The delay is Finnair’s responsibility;
• Flight travels to/from Europe.

These rules are applicable to Finnair connecting flights as well. Remember, in this context, your destination is your final stop (and not the transit airports).

For instance, if you’re travelling from Helsinki to New York via London with a Finnair connecting flight and reach New York 3 or more hours late due to Finnair’s fault, you would be eligible for compensation for the complete “Helsinki – New York” journey.

Don’t forget to file a compensation claim!

Read more:

• Your Finnair Flight Is Delayed. Should You Wait at Home?
• How to Claim Finnair Compensation?
• Your Finnair Compensation Claim Is Denied. Now What?
• Waiting Too Long For Your Finnair Refund? Here’s What You Can Do

1.2 Missing a Connecting Flight Due to Cancellation

If your flight gets cancelled leading to a missed connecting flight and a delay of 3 or more hours at your final destination, you can claim compensation from Finnair, similar to flight delays.

This rule applies if the cancellation is due to the airline’s fault and your journey is to or from Europe. The compensation, up to €600, is determined by the distance of your flight.

In summary, you can claim missed connection compensation if:

• The preceding flight gets cancelled (or delayed) due to Finnair’s fault;
• You arrive at your destination with a delay of 3+ hours;
• Your flight is to/from Europe.

Ready to claim compensation?

Make sure you file a compensation claim!

1.3 What About Self-Transfer Flights With Finnair?

If your journey involves separate flights (a self-transfer scenario), the above-mentioned regulations are not applicable. In these cases, if one of your flights is cancelled or delayed, you won’t qualify for compensation for the other flight.

For instance, if you have one flight with Finnair and another with EasyJet, and Finnair cancels their flight, you might be entitled to compensation for the cancelled Finnair flight. However, Finnair won’t be responsible for your EasyJet flight, and they won’t provide any help if you miss it.

This is a crucial point to consider while booking separate flights.

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

2. Extraordinary Circumstances

Extraordinary circumstances refer to situations outside of Finnair’s control.

In such occurrences, the airline is not obligated to provide compensation. These unforeseen events may include extreme weather conditions or global health crises like a pandemic. If you have doubts regarding any provided information, it’s advisable to double-check it. Especially when it comes to flight compensation and refunds.

Alternatively, you can consult a flight compensation firm to scrutinize your case and verify that the airline isn’t giving you incorrect information. For instance, mechanical problems with the plane are typically the airline’s responsibility and do not qualify as unforeseen events, despite some airlines stating otherwise.

Situations that do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances:

• Most technical failures with the aircraft
• Most of Finnair staff strikes
• Finnair staffing shortages

3. Right to Care From Finnair

Finnair is required to provide assistance if you are left stranded at the airport due to their flight disruptions, or anything else that isn’t your fault.

If you are delayed or your Finnair flight gets cancelled, causing you to miss a connecting flight, Finnair should provide appropriate assistance while you are waiting for your new flight. Additionally, in the event of a missed connection, Finnair is compelled to offer a replacement flight at no extra cost, provided it was not your fault that you missed it.

In terms of assistance, if your delay at the airport goes beyond three hours, you have a right to care from Finnair.

• After a delay of 3 hours, Finnair should provide complimentary meals and drinks reasonably relative to the duration of the wait, as well as two free phone calls, emails or faxes.
• If the flight delay extends overnight, free hotel accommodation should be provided, including free transportation to and from the airport.

4. How to Claim Finnair Flight Compensation?

There are two methods to claim EU flight compensation.

The first method involves reaching out to Finnair directly. You can go to their official website and contact their customer service to request compensation for your flight. However, be aware that this might be a prolonged process, and you may have to negotiate with Finnair to get the compensation you deserve. Retaining any proof of your delay or cancellation, such as how much later you arrived at your destination, can be beneficial.

The second, more streamlined method is to seek legal assistance.

Through this approach, you would have legal experts managing all aspects of your claim. Our partners provide such services – further details are available below.

4.1 How Long Does It Take?

What is the usual time frame to receive compensation from an airline?

Generally, you should expect to wait a few months to receive your compensation.

If your case needs to be escalated to a national enforcement body or court, the process may be prolonged by several more months, and in some instances, an additional half-year or year.

Multiple factors can determine the duration it takes to obtain compensation. If an airline promptly acknowledges your claim and agrees to pay compensation, the process can be quicker or very quick. However, if the airline disputes your claim, the process may stretch out, and you may have to endure a lengthy legal procedure to receive compensation.

Moreover, the complexity of your case can influence the duration it takes to receive your compensation. Each case is individual.

5. How Much Compensation Can You Claim?

The compensation sum is set and can range from €250 to €600.

Here is how you can calculate your Finnair flight compensation amount:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the distance is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later, you are entitled to compensation of €300, not €600. If the delay is longer than 4 hours, you will get full compensation of €600.

5.1 Finnair Voucher Refund or Cash?

Finnair might propose a voucher as an alternative to cash compensation.

However, it’s crucial to remember that you have the choice to decline a voucher and instead choose a bank transfer for your compensation. Airlines are legally obliged to offer compensation and flight cancellation refunds in the form of cash or bank transfer, not in vouchers or coupons, under European law (unless you agree to voucher or coupon).

6. What Is a Connecting Flight?

A connecting flight refers to a journey where you must board two or more separate aircrafts to reach your final destination, with temporary stops at one or more airports along the way. Instead of a straightforward trip from point A to B, you will make a stopover at point C, and potentially additional stops. The duration of waiting at the airport between flights is known as a layover, or a stopover if it exceeds 24 hours.

Passengers often opt for connecting flights when a direct flight isn’t available or when the connecting route is more cost-effective.

Connecting flights are generally categorised into two types:

1. airline-protected transfers,
2. self transfer flights.

6.1 Airline-Protected Transfer

How can you determine if you are on an airline-protected transfer?

1. Your reservation for a connecting flight was made directly with Finnair. Or, if you made it through a third-party service such as Kiwi, Expedia, or eDreams, there was no mention that it’s a self transfer.
2. Your entire journey, which consists of two or more flights, has been given a single booking reference number by Finnair. This is different from the travel agent booking reference number. By entering your booking reference number on Finnair’s website, you can access and manage your full trip details. If you can’t do the latter, this is not a connecting flight.

6.2 Self Transfer

What are the indicators of a self-transfer flight?

1. If your continuous flights were booked separately, it’s considered a self-transfer flight.
2. If each flight has its own individual reservation number, it’s a self-transfer flight.
3. If each flight was paid for independently, it definitely falls under the self-transfer category.

To sum it up, differentiating between self transfer and airline-protected connecting flights can be a bit confusing. You can inspect your tickets. If every flight has a distinct reservation number or booking reference, it’s most likely a self-transfer flight. Online travel agencies like Kiwi or Expedia also provide information about whether the flight is a self-transfer.

7. Missed Connection

A missed connection refers to an occurrence where you fail to catch your onward flight.

This situation can arise if you’re delayed or if your preceding flight was unexpectedly postponed or cancelled. Oftentimes, when the connection time or layover is brief, such as 1 or 1.5 hours, the likelihood of missing your onward flight is significantly higher.

It’s worth mentioning that many airlines, including Finnair, will extend support to passengers who’ve missed their connecting flights. If a delay in reaching your destination isn’t a major problem, a missed connection could turn out to be beneficial as you may qualify for flight compensation of up to 600 euros per individual.

Does a cancelled or delayed flight result in a missed connection?

7.1 Missed Airline-Protected Transfer

Opting for an airline-protected transfer is the safest bet for travellers.

If you fail to catch your onward flight due to reasons beyond your control, Finnair will provide protective measures and aid.

In circumstances where flight cancellations or hold-ups result in a missed connection, passengers are protected, and they may even qualify for compensation. Finnair will usually organize a replacement flight, and a complimentary hotel stay (should the rebooked flight depart the next day). To address the problem, you should connect with Finnair representatives at the airport.

Remember, in certain situations, compensation may be accessible.

What happens in terms of a refund or compensation?

Generally, it’s not feasible to get a refund for a missed flight.

However, if your flight is covered by the EU Regulation 261/2004, you could qualify for missed flight compensation for your entire trip (this is identical to flight delay compensation).

Always remember to submit a claim for compensation!

Don’t forget to file a claim for compensation!

7.2 Missed Self-Transfer Flight

A self-transfer means booking multiple flights individually.

What happens if you miss your self-transfer connection?

If any one of your booked flights in your itinerary is delayed by 3 hours or more, cancelled last-minute, or if you are denied boarding due to overbooking, you could qualify for compensation concerning that specific flight. However, none of the airlines involved will be accountable for your entire journey or any missed connections.

For instance: If you have a Finnair flight to Frankfurt (let’s call this “flight 1”), and then have a 3-hour layover before catching a Lufthansa flight to New York (let’s call this “flight 2”), neither airline holds responsibility for any missed connection due to a delay or cancellation of flight 1.

In the event of a major delay (3+ hours) of flight 1, you could be entitled to compensation from Finnair. If there is a last-minute cancellation, you may be entitled to a new flight, refund, and compensation from Finnair for flight 1, as per ‎Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

However, if you miss your Lufthansa flight as a consequence, it becomes your responsibility to book a new flight to your final destination (New York, in this example). Neither Finnair nor Lufthansa will offer any compensation for flight 2, and you will not receive compensation for a missed flight connection.

The same rules apply to the Lufthansa flight – flight 2. If it’s delayed or cancelled last minute, you may receive compensation for this particular flight. However, if it’s cancelled last minute and you end up with a replacement flight leaving 2 hours earlier that you cannot catch, it becomes your responsibility to sort it out.

If you have missed flight insurance, you should reach out to your insurance provider. Depending upon the circumstances, they might be able to offer assistance.

Finnair Missed Connection Compensation: FAQ

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

Have you ever missed a connection? Was it a connecting flight with Finnair? Share your experience. Do you have any questions about Finnair compensation policies? Ask in the comments.