Norwegian Compensation for Flight Delays, Cancellations & Refund
Nicolle Harwood-Nash
Last Updated:

Norwegian, officially known as Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, has been ranked by Conde Nast Traveler (CNTraveler) as the fifth best European Airline in 2023 with an 82.75% on-time arrival rating based on 82,791 flights. Despite being an award-winning airline, Norwegian, like all other carriers, is susceptible to flight disruptions like delays, cancellations and overbooking. In these instances, knowing your passenger rights is key. And that's where we come in!

In this article, we explore Norwegian's policies concerning compensation for common flight disruptions and illustrate how our team can assist you in claiming the compensation you are entitled to.

Your Air Passenger Rights

In the following sections, we outline the regulations that may protect your passenger rights in the event of a Norwegian flight disruption:

EU Air Passenger Rights

Air passenger rights in Europe are protected by EU Regulation 261, a law created to ensure fair treatment and appropriate compensation when flight disruptions occur. These disruptions could include delays, cancellations, and overbooking situations

EU261 is applicable to all flights departing from any country within the European Union and to flights landing in the EU from abroad, if the flight is operated by an EU-based airline, which includes Norwegian.

Compensation values depend on the length of delay caused by the disruption and the distance of the flight. Typically, as a passenger, you could be entitled to up to €600 in compensation.

Passenger Rights in the UK

After leaving the EU, the United Kingdom established its own set of air passenger rights, known as the UK261 passenger rights law. This regulation mirrors EU261, offering comparable protections for passengers flying with a UK-based airline or taking off from a UK airport. 

UK261 addresses a range of flight disruptions, including cancellations, delays, instances of denied boarding, and missed connections, assuring the availability of rightful compensation. Like its EU counterpart, compensation under UK261 depends on the length of the delay and the distance of the flight. The compensation can typically go up to £520 per passenger.

Norwegian Compensation in EU & UK

Flight Delays

Flight Cancellations

Denied Boarding

Up to €600 in monetary compensation

Care & Assistance

Up to €600 in monetary compensation

Rebooked flight OR Refund

Care & Assistance

Up to €600 in monetary compensation 

Rebooked flight OR Refund

Care & Assistance

Delayed or cancelled flight with Norwegian? Find out if you're owed up to €600 in compensation.Check Now for Free

Norwegian Flight Delays and Compensation

When it comes to flight delays, the EU261 legislation stipulates that passengers flying with airlines such as Norwegian have a certain set of rights. If your flight is delayed by more than 3 hours and this delay was because of circumstances within the airline's control, such as mechanical issues or airline staff problems, then you may be entitled to flight delay compensation. This compensation varies based on the length of the journey.

In a press release from August 2023, Norwegian stated the following about their on-time performance during the second quarter of that year:

“Punctuality, share of flights departing on schedule, was 81.5 percent in the quarter, up from 78.8 percent in the same period last year. Regularity, share of flights taking place, was 99.5 percent. Cirium, the global aviation consultancy, named Norwegian the most on-time European airline in May. In April, June, and July, Norwegian finished among the top three European airlines.”

Norwegian Cancelled Flight Compensation 

Your passenger rights also extend to flight cancellations. The EU261 legislation mandates that Norwegian, or any airline, must provide at least 14 days' notice for flight cancellations. If this notice is not provided, you may be entitled to compensation for cancellation. The exceptions to this rule are extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the airline's control.

Norwegian Compensation for Flight Delays

Norwegian Air Refund

In addition to the above, the EU261 also allows for airline ticket refunds under specific situations. For instance, if Norwegian cancels your flight without providing a 14-day notice, or if your flight is delayed by over 5 hours, you can request a full ticket refund. The same applies if you are denied boarding due to overbooking or any operational issues that fall within the airline's control.

Aside from the refund, you could also be eligible for monetary compensation based on the flight distance and the extent of the delay.

Denied Boarding Compensation Rights

According to EU261 regulations, you're generally entitled to compensation if you're denied boarding on a Norwegian flight. This situation typically arises when an airline overbooks a flight and does not have enough seats for all passengers. If you did not voluntarily give up your seat or were denied boarding because of your actions, you have the right to claim compensation.

Learn more in our denied boarding compensation guide.

If your Norwegian flight was delayed, cancelled or overbooked within the last 3 years, you could be eligible for up to €600 in compensation.
Check Your Flight

Missed Connection Compensation Rights

Lastly, EU261 also entitles you to compensation if you miss your connecting Norwegian flight because of a delay or cancellation of your initial flight, as long as all flights are part of a single reservation. The significant factor here is the effect of the initial disruption on your final arrival time at your destination. If this disruption results in you arriving 3 hours or more later than scheduled, you have the right to claim compensation for a missed flight.

How Much Compensation You Can Get from Norwegian

We mentioned already, the exact amount of cash compensation you receive from Norwegian will depend on how long your flight was (kilometres) and how many hours you were delayed at your destination. The following table should help explain the amounts.

Norwegian Delay Compensation

Delay Time

Flight Distance

 

Flights under 1,500km

Flights between 1,500-3,500km

Flights over 3,500km

Over 3 hours

€250

€400

€600*

Under 3 hours

€0

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

Extraordinary Circumstances

In the realm of air travel disruptions like flight delays, cancellations, or instances of denied boarding, a critical term to grasp is "extraordinary circumstances". This term describes events that are outside of an airline's control and couldn't be prevented despite all reasonable measures being taken

These circumstances may include severe weather conditions such as intense snowstorms that render flight unsafe, air traffic control restrictions for safety reasons, immediate security threats, or political unrest that may jeopardise air travel.

In these exceptional scenarios, airlines like Norwegian are usually relieved from the responsibility of compensating affected passengers. Although these events can cause significant disruption, the ultimate priority in such circumstances is the passengers' safety and well-being. It's recommended to secure specific information about your flight disruption, as each situation is unique and might be evaluated differently under EU261.

Find out if you are owed compensation for a disrupted flight.Check Your Flight

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Norwegian Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you can review some FAQs and their respective answers surrounding Norwegian flight disruptions:

What to do When Your Norwegian Flight is Cancelled?

In the event of a flight cancellation with Norwegian, it's crucial to take proactive steps to address the situation effectively. Your first course of action should be to promptly contact the airline's customer service to obtain detailed information regarding the reasons behind the cancellation. 

It’s advisable to retain all relevant travel-related documentation, including tickets, boarding passes, and any communication received from Norwegian regarding the cancellation. These records may serve as important evidence if you decide to pursue compensation.

Depending on the specific circumstances leading to the cancellation and the notice period provided by Norwegian, you may be eligible for compensation in accordance with EU261 regulations. To determine your eligibility and assess the potential compensation amount, you can utilise available resources, such as our AirAdvisor website, which provides valuable insights and assistance in navigating the compensation claim process. 

What if I Cancel My Norwegian Flight? Can I Get a Refund?

In the event that you decide to cancel your Norwegian flight, the refund options available to you primarily depend on the fare conditions associated with your ticket. Norwegian, like many other airlines, categorises tickets as either refundable or non-refundable.

If you hold a refundable ticket, you usually have the flexibility to cancel your flight and receive a full or partial refund based on the specific fare rules governing your ticket. Conversely, non-refundable tickets generally don’t provide cash refunds, but Norwegian may offer alternative forms of compensation, such as travel credits or vouchers for future use. 

It's essential to carefully review the terms and conditions of your ticket before proceeding with the cancellation to fully understand the refund options available to you.

How Long Does it Take to Get Norwegian Flight Delay Compensation?

Compensation processing times for Norwegian flight delays vary and depend on factors such as internal procedures, claim volume, and any disputes involved.

How to Claim Flight Delay Compensation With Norwegian?

To easily claim your flight compensation from Norwegian, you can follow these straightforward steps:

  1. Check Eligibility: Begin by using AirAdvisor's 'Check Compensation' tool, tailored for Norwegian flights. This tool instantly evaluates your flight delay against the EU261 criteria to determine if you are eligible for compensation.
  2. Submit Your Claim: If your case is eligible, you can submit your claim through AirAdvisor. Provide the necessary flight and delay details, along with relevant documents like boarding passes, tickets, and receipts, to support your claim.
  3. Let Us Take Care of the Rest: Once your claim is submitted, our expert team will take charge of the process on your behalf. We'll communicate with Norwegian, handle all negotiations, and keep you updated throughout the process.

Our goal is to make claiming compensation effortless for you. Each situation is unique, and our dedicated team is well-prepared to handle various scenarios, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.

The best part? Our service fee is only charged if your claim is successful, and it’s deducted from the compensation payment itself. This means you won't have any out-of-pocket costs.