Air New Zealand Delayed or Cancelled Flight Compensation and Refund

Written By Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated: April 08, 2024

Understanding Your Passenger Rights with Air New Zealand

If you’re a passenger on a New Zealand flight that’s departing from the UK or EU, you’ll be protected by the air passenger rights regulations in those areas.

The UK’s 261 Regulation and the European Union’s EU261 both protect passenger rights in the case of delays, cancellations, missed connections, and overbooked flights. More specifically, these regulations provide you with the right to financial compensation, refunds, care and assistance, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses if you experience flight disruptions  on an Air New Zealand flight departing from the areas covered by these regulations. 

In the sections to follow, we’ll explore each situation in depth, but this table will help you see what’s required of the airline in different circumstances.

Air New Zealand Flight Delay Compensation 

The compensation for flight delays provided to you in the UK and EU, might not fix any upended travel plans, but they can soften the blow. If you’re faced with a delay of 3 hours or more, you could get financial compensation plus care and assistance. If your delay lasts more than 5 hours, then you’re entitled to a refund plus compensation.

So, instead of having to pay for meals and refreshments on your own, Air New Zealand is required to pick up the tab for these things. If your delay stretches into the next day, they also have to supply you with overnight accommodation and taxi service to and from the hotel. 

If you’re not offered this, don’t be afraid to ask the airline for care and assistance. If they don’t give you coupons to use, then remember to save all your receipts because you can submit them for reimbursement along with your compensation claim. 

There is one sticking point for financial compensation: If the delay was a result of extraordinary circumstances, or something beyond what the airline could control or foresee, then Air New Zealand is exempt from paying cash for your inconvenience.  

Air New Zealand Cancelled Flight Compensation 

When it comes to flight cancellation compensation, EU and UK regulations set out to protect you from being stranded at the airport. So, say your Air New Zealand flight was cancelled with less than 2 weeks notice. When this happens, you can count on a flight rebooking or a refund.

As with delays, if the cancellation is caused by an airline strike or anything else that Air New Zealand could control, then you can also count on financial compensation on top of the refund or rebooking. Now, imagine that you’ve chosen the rescheduled flight offered by the carrier, but it doesn’t depart for 2 or more hours or even the next day. This is where care and assistance compensation enter the picture. 

In this sort of situation, Air New Zealand should give you meal and refreshment vouchers or free hotel accommodation or one night. Also, don’t forget about the transportation to the hotel and back!

Denied Boarding & Missed Connections

Sometimes, you might be denied boarding on an Air New Zealand flight that’s been overbooked. If this happens to you, you’ll be given a replacement flight or a refund, your choice. However you should also be eligible for financial compensation since you’ve suffered a considerable inconvenience. And if you miss a connecting flight because of a previous delay or cancellation, then you must be given an alternative flight to your final destination. Be mindful of the fact that in either case, you won’t be compensated if your own actions led to the missed connection or denial of boarding. 

For example, if you lost track of time shopping or having a meal and missed your flight as a result, then you won’t be eligible. Likewise, if you arrived at the gate without the required documentation or if you showed up intoxicated and were denied boarding then your case will likely be denied.

Air New Zealand Compensation: How Much Can You Get

When it comes to cash compensation, the actual amount you receive depends on two factors: The amount of time you’re delayed at your final destination and the overall distance of your flight. The following table should help you figure out how much you could receive, but you can also check by using our free compensation calculator.

* Air New Zealand might try to reduce this amount by as much as 50%, but AirAdvisor always works to get the full amount.

What are Extraordinary Circumstances?

We’ve mentioned extraordinary circumstances a few times and how disruptions attributed to them will exempt airlines from compensation. To further explain, extraordinary circumstances are situations that are entirely beyond Air New Zealand’s control. Some typical examples are: 

• Air traffic control restrictions
• Dangerous weather conditions
• Strikes or other problems at the airport
• Civil unrest
• Security threats

PRO TIP: Always ask the airline what caused the flight disruption. You can also try to find out from airport staff or even check with other airlines in the same airport to see if they are also affected. If they aren’t, then your disruption might be the airline’s fault.

Why You Can Trust AirAdvisor

Understandably, all this information can be overwhelming - leaving you to wonder what steps you should take next. If this is you, then breathe deep and know that AirAdvisor’s team of legal professionals are here to help you through the entire process.

• We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis.
• Over 240,000 passengers have trusted us with their claims
• We have 98% win rate, and 7 years of experience in the field

Get started on your path to compensation today by entering your flight details below.Check Your Flight

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