Air passenger rights in the Western world rest on three bodies of rules: European Union Regulation (EC) 261/2004, Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), and the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Fly Rights. Each sets out what an airline must do — and sometimes pay — when a flight does not go as planned. The protections differ in scope, thresholds, and amounts, but they share a common goal: making airlines accountable for disruptions within their control and ensuring passengers are informed, cared for, and compensated where the rules apply.
EU Regulation 261/2004
EU 261 is the broadest of the three. It applies to flights departing from an EU airport on any airline, and to flights arriving into the EU on an EU-operated carrier. For cancellations, long delays of three hours or more at the final destination, and denied boarding caused by overbooking, eligible passengers can claim fixed compensation of €250, €400, or €600 depending on the flight distance, on top of a refund or re-routing and the right to care (meals, refreshments, and accommodation) during the wait. A cabin downgrade triggers a percentage refund of the fare paid. Airlines can avoid paying only where the disruption stems from extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided — severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or security risks, for example — and they must prove it.
Canada APPR
Canada's APPR covers flights to, from, and within Canada operated by airlines flying to or from Canada. It distinguishes between situations within the airline's control and those outside it. Delays and cancellations within an airline's control can trigger compensation of up to CA$1,000, plus re-routing or a refund and minimum standards of treatment (food, drink, and accommodation) when the wait is long enough. Denied boarding for commercial reasons entitles passengers to compensation scaled by delay length. For disruptions outside the airline's control — weather, airport operations, security — there is no compensation, but the airline must still communicate and, in many cases, rebook or refund. Tarmac delay rules also limit how long passengers can be held on board.
US DOT Fly Rights
US rules are narrower on delay and cancellation compensation: there is no general requirement to pay passengers for a delayed or cancelled flight, but airlines must adhere to their contract of carriage and cannot keep passengers on the tarmac for more than a set time without facing fines. Where US rules are strongest is overbooking: passengers denied boarding involuntarily on a domestic flight can claim compensation of up to four times the one-way fare (capped) depending on the length of the delay caused by the bump. Airlines must also refund checked bag fees for lost luggage and provide clear refunds for cancelled or significantly changed flights. For international flights, the Montreal Convention may provide additional remedies.
How Elli applies the rules
Elli asks a short set of questions about your flight and the disruption, then checks the details against all three regimes to find the one that applies to your situation. It weighs the route, the airline, the type and length of the disruption, the cabin you paid for, and the cause the airline gave, then returns a plain-language eligibility read, an estimated amount where one applies, and a checklist of the documents you should gather before submitting a claim. The guidance is informational and not a substitute for legal advice, but it gives passengers a clear, confident starting point.