Right to reimbursement or rerouting against airline
I am a resident of Dodoma and was scheduled to travel to a European country for my studies. I had plans of travelling to Dar es Salaam for a connection with an international flight. This plan was interrupted by a local airline cancelling the Dar es Salaam flight without providing prior information. Unfortunately, it was too late to take alternative transport arrangements to Dar es Salaam. Do I have any right against the airline? Please guide me.
SD, Dodoma
We are sorry to hear about this unfortunate turn of events. The Civil Aviation (Carriage by Air) Regulations, 2024 (GN No. 4 of 2024) governs aspects of carriage of passengers, goods and cargo by Tanzanian airlines. Regulation 24 provides that in the case of cancellation, delay or denied boarding, passenger shall be offered-(a) reimbursement within seven days of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose in relation to the passenger’s original travel plan, together with, when relevant, a return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity; (b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity; or (c) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at a later date at the passenger’s convenience, subject to availability of seats. Please contact the airline for further information on the airline cancellation policy and check your ticket for terms and conditions which may affect your rights against the airline. It doesn’t seem likely that the local airline will compensate you for the loss you suffered in your foreign travel. We believe the liability is limited to the local component of travel only. However, your lawyer can guide you further.