Flight delay or cancellation at Bastia Poretta airport
Despite its small population, Corsica has significant air traffic. A popular tourist destination, it also faces challenges as an island. While it is possible to travel there by boat, many people choose to fly.
As the second largest city on the Island of Beauty, Bastia naturally has its own airport, Bastia Poretta.
Located 20 km south of the city, it was not the first airport. Initially, Bastia Borgo served as an airbase for the US Air Force. After the war, Poretta took over as the civil airport.
How to manage your rights in case of a flight delay or cancellation at Bastia airport? Delayed explains.
Your rights at Bastia Poretta airport
Based in Corsica, Bastia Poretta is first and foremost a French airport. Although it is an island, Corsica is not an overseas territory. European law therefore applies fully, as it does in the rest of mainland France.
This means that this airport is subject to European regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
Which flights are covered by EC 261 regulation?
By default, this regulation applies to any flight departing from or arriving at a European airport.
As a European airport, if you depart from Bastia airport, you are covered, regardless of your destination. Similarly, if you are flying to Bastia, you are also covered, no matter where you are coming from.
Since a ruling on 24 February 2022, there is one exception: if you are transiting through Bastia Poretta on a flight from a non-EU airport to another non-EU airport.
Most airlines based at Bastia Poretta are from EU Member States. There are three exceptions: EasyJet, a British airline, EasyJet Switzerland, from Switzerland, and Norwegian Air Shuttle, from Norway.
Switzerland and Norway are not part of the European Union but are part of the Schengen Area. As such, they apply regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The flights they operate are therefore considered community flights.
There are also two air routes to the United Kingdom. One to London-Heathrow, operated seasonally by British Airways, and another to London-Gatwick, operated by EasyJet. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union and is therefore not directly subject to this regulation.
However, since Bastia is the departure or arrival point for these flights, regulation (EC) No 261/2004 still applies to them.
Strike at Bastia Poretta airport
It is not uncommon for a flight to be delayed or cancelled due to a strike. However, in an airport, there are different professions with different employers.
The airline is only responsible if it is their employees who are on strike.
While regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides for a fixed compensation in case of delay, flight cancellation or overbooking, this assumes that these incidents are the responsibility of the airline.
For example, if your Lufthansa flight from Bastia to Frankfurt is cancelled due to a strike, there are two possible scenarios. If Lufthansa staff are on strike, the airline must compensate you. If external staff are on strike, it is not Lufthansa's responsibility. They will not have to reimburse you.
Compensation for a delay at Bastia Poretta airport
If the airline is found responsible, regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides for a fixed compensation once a certain level of delay is reached. This, along with the amount of compensation, depends on the distance travelled by your plane.
The compensation is:
- €250 for a flight of less than 1500 km with at least a 2-hour delay
- €400 for a non-community flight between 1500 and 3500 km or a community flight of 1500 km or more with at least a 3-hour delay
- €600 for a non-community flight of more than 3500 km with at least a 4-hour delay.
Claiming compensation for a cancelled flight at Bastia Poretta airport
A flight cancellation is different from a delay. Instead of the flight you were supposed to take, the airline offers you a new flight with a new number.
If the airline is responsible for the cancellation, they must compensate you. The amount of this compensation depends on the delay caused.
The compensation will be:
- €125 for a flight of less than 1500 km, then €250 from a 2-hour delay
- €200 for a non-community flight between 1500 and 3500 km or a community flight of 1500 km or more, then €400 from a 3-hour delay
- €300 for a non-community flight of more than 3500 km then €600 from a 4-hour delay
Overbooking at Bastia Poretta airport
In the case of overbooking, the situation is different: the airline is responsible in all cases.
In other words, they will be liable for fixed compensation. This is on the same scale as for a flight cancellation.
What to do in case of a flight issue at Bastia Poretta airport?
In case of a problem, first check if your flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked. In the first two cases, you will need to determine if the airline is responsible.
A strike is not the only possible cause. There may also be technical issues, unforeseen weather or geopolitical events. A natural disaster can also bring air traffic to a halt.
Even if the airline is not always required to compensate you, they must still take care of you until your arrival, regardless of the reason for the delay or cancellation. In case of cancellation, they must also offer you re-routing or, if necessary, a refund. Note: if you accept a refund from the airline, you effectively waive any further assistance.
Delayed assists you in case of flight disruption at Bastia Poretta airport
No one is immune to flight disruptions, whether in Bastia or elsewhere. As a specialist in protecting air passengers, Delayed helps you enforce your rights.
Indeed, knowing your rights is not always enough to defend them. Even if you are entitled to compensation, the time and effort involved can be discouraging. Free yourself from these procedures and entrust them to Delayed.