Passenger rights

Information for passengers from Bern-Belp Airport and the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) on passenger entitlement to compensation and assistance in the event of denied boarding, cancellation, significant delay or downgrading. This flyer is based on the rights for airline passengers defined in EC Regulation 261/2004. EC Regulation 261/2004 may be applied in Switzerland on the basis of the bilateral air traffic treaty between Switzerland and the European Community (SR 0.748.127.192.68; see also point 7, “Consumer Protection”, in the appendix to the treaty).

  Customer assistance Entitlement to compensation Cancellation of booking and reimbursement of ticket price Alternative transportation
Denied boarding        
Voluntary foregoing flight by agreement by agreement X* X*
Denial of boarding against customer X X X* X*
Cancellation        
Alternative transportation X X***   X
Cancellation of booking (X) X*** X  
Delay        
Flight distance 1500 km or less than 2 hours X      
Flight distance between 1500 km and 3500 km ** more than 3 hours X      
Flight distance 3500 km or more than 4 hours X      
All flights longer than 5 hours X   X  

* Cancellation of booking and reimbursement of ticket price or alternative transportation, not cumulative.
** or for flights exceeding 1500 km within the EU and Switzerland
*** There is no entitlement to compensation when a cancellation results from exceptional circumstances which could not have been prevented even if all reasonable measures had been taken. In the event of a flight cancellation, the passengers will be informed of their entitlement to compensation by the airline operating the cancelled flight, except when either: the passengers are notified of cancellation at least two weeks prior to the planned departure; or the passengers are notified of cancellation between seven days and two weeks prior to the planned departure and receive an offer of alternative transportation which would enable them to depart no more than two hours before the scheduled departure time and reach their destination no more than four hours after the scheduled arrival time; or the passengers are notified of cancellation less than seven days prior to the planned departure and receive an offer of alternative transportation which would enable them to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled departure time and reach their destination no more than two hours after the scheduled arrival time.
 

Notes on individual rights

Customer assistance

  • Meals and refreshments as appropriate to length of waiting time

  • Two telephone calls, two telexes, two faxes or two emails free of charge

  • Hotel accommodation (including transport between airport and hotel) when the expected departure is on the day after the scheduled departure time (or even later)

Entitlement to compensation  (DE)

Flight distance

Amount  
of 1'500 km or less 250 EUR 125 EUR if the arrival time of the alternative flight is no more than 2 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the originally booked flight
between of 1'500 and 3'500 km  400 EUR 200 EUR if the arrival time of the alternative flight is no more than 3 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the originally booked flight
of 3'500 km or more 600 EUR 300 EUR if the arrival time of the alternative flight is no more than 4 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the originally booked flight

Cancellation of booking and reimbursement of ticket price

within seven days (cash, electronic or standard transfer, cheque or, subject to written agreement, travel voucher and/or other service):

  • for legs of journey not travelled and/or

  • for legs of journey travelled when the flight has lost its purpose in relation to the original itinerary, possibly combined with

  • a return flight as soon as possible to the original departure airport

Alternative transportation to destination with comparable conditions of travel

  • as soon as possible, or

  • at a later date/time to suit the passenger, subject to availability of seats

Downgrading

Should an airline downgrade you to a lower class of seat as that for which you purchased a ticket, you are to be reimbursed (cash, electronic or standard transfer, cheque or, subject to the passenger’s written agreement, travel voucher and/or other services) within seven days as follows:

  1. for all flights of 1500 km or more, 30% of the cost of the ticket, or 

  2. for all flights within the European Community (including Switzerland) exceeding 1500 km, except flights between the European territory of member states and French Overseas Departments and Territories, and for all other flights of between 1500 km and 3500 km, 50% of the cost of the ticket, or 

  3. for all flights not listed under 1.) or 2.) , including flights between the European territory of member states and French Overseas Departments and Territories, 75% of the cost of the ticket

 

Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt BAZL
Fluggastrechte
3003 Bern
Tel. +41 31 325 95 96
passengerrights@bazl.admin.ch
www.bazl.admin.ch