Gulf Air Airline

Gulf Air is an airline from Bahrain, founded in 1950. Its aim was to represent the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf. Initially, it was also funded by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, before they established Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.

Today, Gulf Air operates a fleet of 37 aircraft and serves 50 destinations across 29 different countries. Some of these airports are within the European Union.

If you fly with Gulf Air, it's likely to be a connecting flight. You might depart from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and have a stopover in Bahrain before reaching your final destination.

Which law applies to your flight? We're here to help clarify.

How does European regulation apply to Gulf Air?

If you travel with Gulf Air, generally, the European regulation does not apply to you. The airline is based outside the European Union. Only a few flights depart from the EU.

In the European Union, civil aviation is governed by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. This regulation clearly defines passenger rights. These rights come with obligations for airlines, such as Gulf Air.

However, this does not apply to all flights. The regulation covers:

all flights departing from an airport within the European Union (including Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland);
flights arriving in the same area, operated by an airline based there.

Since Gulf Air is based in Bahrain, only the first point applies to it. However, like airlines from neighbouring countries, it offers many connecting flights.

To determine if you're covered by European regulation, we don't consider your transit airport. It's your departure airport that matters.

For example, you might take a flight from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Mumbai, India, with a stopover in Bahrain. If there's a disruption on the flight departing from Bahrain, it will be noted that you departed from Paris. Therefore, EU law applies.

What does the European regulation provide?

The Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides rights in line with international conventions.

If your Gulf Air flight departs from a European airport, you are covered.

Assistance until you reach your destination

You must meet three conditions to travel by air: have a boarding pass, valid documents, and arrive on time for boarding.

If these conditions are met, Gulf Air must get you to your destination, like any other airline.

Sometimes, there might be a delay. They might cancel a flight or deny boarding due to overbooking. In such cases, they must offer you a replacement flight as soon as possible and under the same conditions as the original flight.

If you have to stay at the airport for an extended period, you may incur expenses (drinks, meals, hotel). Gulf Air must cover these costs. Additionally, you are entitled to two phone calls.

A refund, under certain conditions

In the event of cancellation or denied boarding, you can request a rerouting or a refund. This will be a full refund. In case of a delay of more than 5 hours, a refund is also possible.

If you choose a refund, you also waive any assistance from the airline. They have no further obligations. Similarly, you also waive any compensation.

Therefore, it's a decision not to be taken lightly.

A fixed compensation, under conditions

Instead of a refund, which is subject to many conditions, you can request compensation. This is fixed. The amounts are set by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

Compensation is not automatic; you must request it. Also, it is not always due; there are certain conditions to meet.

How does compensation work?

If you are entitled to compensation under European regulation, Gulf Air must pay it to you. This involves two conditions:

a proven loss;
the airline's responsibility for the loss incurred.

The type of loss varies depending on the type of disruption, the extent of the delay, etc. And the airline's responsibility will be more or less clear.

In case of delay

You are entitled to fixed compensation if the delay exceeds a certain time. This time varies depending on the distance of your flight. Thus, your compensation will be:

€250 for a flight of less than 1500 km, due after 3 hours of delay;
€400 for a non-EU flight between 1500 and 3500 km or an EU flight over 1500 km, due after 3 hours of delay;
€600 for a non-EU flight over 3500 km, due after 4 hours of delay.

In case of cancellation and overbooking

If your flight is cancelled or if you are denied boarding due to overbooking, the same compensation scale applies, with one exception.

Here, you are entitled to compensation from the first minute of delay, with a reduction if it does not exceed a certain threshold. Thus, you will be entitled to:

€125 for a flight of less than 1500 km with less than 2 hours of delay;
€200 for a non-EU flight between 1500 and 3500 km or an EU flight over 1500 km with less than 3 hours of delay;
€300 for a non-EU flight over 3500 km with less than 4 hours of delay.

Cases where Gulf Air can refuse to compensate you

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to any flight operated by Gulf Air departing from a European airport. In case of disruption, except for exceptions, they must compensate you according to the prescribed scale.

But again, this implies that the loss is real, and the airline is responsible.

In certain cases, therefore, they will be exempt from compensating you:

if they informed you of the disruption at least 15 days before your departure;
if they offer you a replacement flight under the same conditions, at the same departure and arrival times;
in case of extraordinary circumstances (weather, geopolitical issues, strikes…).

"Extraordinary circumstances" will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In the event of a strike, for example, this only applies if third-party staff are striking. If the strikers are Gulf Air staff, they must compensate you.

Was your flight disrupted with Gulf Air? Let's see what your rights are

If your disrupted flight departed from a European airport, you are entitled to compensation. But this doesn't necessarily tell you how to claim it.

Why not let us make the claim for you? Delayed, specialists in air passenger rights, will assist you with your claim.