Regulation (EC) 261/2004 established common European rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of cancellation or long delay of flights or in the event of being denied boarding.
The Regulation has direct application in Member States and the Commission for Aviation Regulation has been designated as the National Enforcement Body for the Regulation in the State. The Commission for Aviation Regulation is the competent body to enforce the provisions of the Regulation arising from cancellations due to depart from Ireland; for travellers whose cancelled flights were due to depart from other Member States, the relevant national enforcement body would be the body designated by that Member State. Passengers must apply to their airline in the first instance to claim their entitlements. If airlines do not comply with the law and passengers fail to receive their entitlements, then the Commission for Aviation Regulation can take enforcement action.