7 Airline Passenger Rights You Should Know About for Peru

So what if you get to the airport in Peru to discover your flight is greatly delayed, overbooked or canceled or took off early without you, what are your rights? 

Here’s a summary of Peru’s Bill of Rights for all commercial airline customers:

7 Airline Passenger Rights in Peru

1. If the delay is greater than 2 hours and less than 4 hours, the airline must provide you with a snack and provide a phone call (not to exceed three minutes).
   
2. If the delay is greater than 4 hours and less than 6 hours, you’re entitled to receive a snack, in addition to a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on what time of day or night it is), as well as the phone call.
   
3. If the delay is greater than 6 hours, the Consumer Protection Authority says that the company must provide a snack, a phone call and provide the meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on the time), as well as compensation equivalent to 25 percent of the value of the unfulfilled route.
   
4. Now, if the delay is greater than 6 hours and creates the need to stay overnight, because you are not a resident of the city where the airport is located, you have a right to a snack, a phone call, a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner), 25% of the value of the unfulfilled route, as well as lodging and transfer costs.
   
5. When the flight is canceled and there is a need to spend the night, the passenger must receive food (breakfast, lunch or dinner), as well as lodging and travel expenses.
   
6. If  you’re involuntarily bumped because of overbooking, and you showed up with a confirmed reservation, the airline must put you on the next flight that has available space, on the same date and route. If such a flight isn’t available for the same date and route, the airline must make arrangements for you to board a flight with another airline, as soon as possible. Likewise, you’re still entitled to be reimbursed for 25 percent of the value of the unfulfilled route.
   
7. In case the flight takes off before the scheduled time  — in other words, you arrived at the scheduled time, but couldn’t board because the flight took off early without you —  you’re entitled to full reimbursement of the price of the ticket. Or you can opt for payment of  lodging, meals, communications and necessary travel costs, as well as transport on the first available flight by the airline you booked with, or another airline that they put you on.

José Vela Vergara, technical secretary of Peru’s National Consumer Protection Authority for Northern Lima, says his institution is at Jorge Chavez International Airport to help if you need guidance.

INDECOPI maintains two offices, one in the national terminal and another in the international terminal. Both operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays.

“Our offices located in the international airport allow the institution I represent to clarify, guide or channel the claims of any passenger, ” Vela Vergara says, “whether they be Peruvians or foreigner — to provide information about what their rights are and how to exercise them.”

But Vela Vergara adds that it is the passengers’ obligation to understand and agree to the terms and conditions of the ticket at the time of purchase.

“In the airline marketplace we might have three, four, up to five options or offers and not only do they involve different schedules but probably distinct contractual conditions,” he says, “whether for example they be for carry-on or checked luggage or some other benefit.”

As much as it is the obligation of the seller of the ticket to provide clear, accurate terms and conditions, it is the duty of the consumer to comparison shop and purchase wisely, not impulsively, he concludes.

Help is not limited to Lima’s international airport.

There are iPerú kiosks in every major airport in Peru to help guide you through these Consumer Rights and to take your complaint if the airline does not fulfill its obligation.

Source: State News Agency Andina

Sharing is caring!