-What are your rights?

After recession of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a vast increase in tourism between countries. There has been news about long ques at airports that has in the worst cases lead to passengers missing their flights, even though they were at the airport in due time. The reason for these long ques is that many airports have failed to hire enough staff. Airport security has been mentioned in that regard, as new staff members must undergo a special training.

But what are the rights of passengers that are at the airport in due time but misses their flights as check-in or going through security takes too long?

The short answer is that the rights are not completely clear.

The airports are responsible for the security check, but there have been some bottlenecks that has led to passengers missing their flights. As the passenger does not have any direct business contract with the airport, the situation is quite tricky.

Passengers always have the option of getting a refund of airport taxes for unused flights. It is worth to mention that some airlines charge a higher service fee for such a refund than the amount of the airport tax.

If unusual delay with the check-in leads to passenger missing their flights, for example due to staff shortage, it could possibly be looked at as non-compliance on behalf of the airline. Given that the passenger arrives at time and in accordance with the information the airline has provided in the contract.

It is the airlines responsibility to have enough staff at the check in desks and make sure that self-check in booths works. Passengers would have to proof that they arrived in time, such as taking a picture of the clock in the departure hall.

We are not aware of this going to court or to other bodies here in Iceland.

Some airports more difficult than others

Nokkrir flugvellir hafa hafa verið nefndir sérstaklega í fréttum þar sem raðir og örtröð hefur valdið ferðalöngum miklum vandræðum; Manchester, Heathrow, Dublin, Arlanda Stokkhólmi og Schiphol í Amsterdam. Þá hafa dönsku  Neytendasamtökin Tænk vakið athygli á töfum á Kastrup flugvelli. Svo slæm var staðan á flugvellinum í Dublin að 1.400 manns misstu af flugi síðustu helgina í maí. Þurfti forstjóri flugvallarins að mæta fyrir samgöngunefnd írska þingsins og útskýra hvernig flugvöllurinn hyggðist bæta úr málum. Mikil örtröð hefur einnig verið á Arlanda flugvellinum í Stokkhólmi en eigendur vallarins þurftu einnig að útskýra sitt mál fyrir þingnefnd. Arlanda hefur gefið út að búast megi við meiri biðröðum en venja er út sumarið.

There have been no news of passengers missing flights here in Iceland due to long ques. It is however advisable to be at the airport in time, three hours before takeoff

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