If you have a child that’s under state custody, you may have come across the term retrieval request. A retrieval request helps your bring your child home again if the child has been taken into state custody. If the social welfare committee decides that a childs well-being is at risk, they can step in and put that child in state custody. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, there are certain rules and processes that must be followed to ensure that the child is safe and well.
In Sweden, the term LVU is a mandatory law that controls the care of children. The law exists to make sure that children who get hurt in their home can be taken care of and hopefully be put in better living conditions. The reasons why a child is taken into custody can be both about home conditions and the child’s behaviour. And sometimes the child may need long-term care. While there are also times when the child’s family can make the necessary changes to ensure that the child can live a safe life at home.
Before a child is placed in custody, the Social Committee makes an assessment that confirms that the child’s health and/or development is harmed by living at home. The court will also have to establish that that assessment is correct before it’s possible to take a child into state custody. After that, the social welfare board has to make reassessments at least every six months regarding whether the child still needs to stay in custody or not.
How does a retrieval request work?
If your child has been taken into state custody and you want to bring them home, you can make a retrieval request. The child can also do this if they have reached the age of 15. The social service then investigates whether it’s reasonable to terminate the child’s custody. Social services only have up to four months to complete their investigation. When the investigation is completed, the social welfare committee makes a decision based on it. In the case they don’t approve the request, you can appeal the decision to the administrative court.
When making a retrieval request, you’ll get the help of a public assistant. You don’t have to pay for your public assistance since the state is responsible for those costs. Before making a retrieval request, you have to review the reasons why your child was placed in custody in the first place. If it was due to reasons that you are responsible for, you have to make the necessary changes the social welfare board considers you should make before your child can return home. If the harmful situation for the child hasn’t changed, your retrieval request won’t be approved.
White seashells on the ground with one of the shells in rainbow colors symbolizing discrimination.
It may sound like a strange question, shouldn’t everyone know what discrimination is? But the fact is that there’s a difference between being discriminated against and, for example, treated unfairly. In order for an act to be considered as discriminatory, it has to fulfill a number of requirements. First and foremost, the discrimination has to be based on a person’s sex, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation or age. In addition, there are six forms of discrimination according to Swedish law that the act has to comply with. Below we’ll tell you more about the types of actions that count as discriminatory.
1. Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination regards to situations where one person is treated worse than someone else. You have to be able to compare the situations for it to count as direct discrimination. This type of discrimination can take place in several situations and an individual assessment is therefore always made of each situation. For example, it can be considered discrimination if you aren’t called to a job interview when you have a non-Nordic ethnic origin while a person with Nordic ethnic origin and the same or similar qualifications as you is called. Or if you’re a woman and have a lower salary than your male colleague even though you have the same or similar experience and skills.
2. Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination instead has to do with situations that may seem neutral but which leaves a certain group of people at a disadvantages. Some rules and guidelines can be discriminatory even though everyone has to follow them. It can be considered indirect discrimination if the guideline for a job is that having a driver’s license is a merit even though the job itself can be performed without you having to drive a car. This is because the guideline disadvantages many disabled people who don’t have the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license.
Only businesses covered by the Discrimination Act can be convicted of discrimination. Swedish Systembolaget can, for example, discriminate based on age and not sell alcohol to minors. In this case, you can’t claim that they’re indirectly discriminating against you if they deny you purchases when you can’t show valid identification.
3. Lack of accessibility
Lack of accessibility as discrimination is about how an organization has adapted to people with disabilities or special needs. Organizations are obliged to ensure that people with disabilities can take part in an equivalent way to people without disabilities. There are also other special laws and regulations linked to accessibility to facilitate the disabled and increase accessibility. Examples of such laws are the School Act and the Work Environment Act.
What an organization has to do to be considered accessible depends on several factors. Among other things, the organizations finances and practical conditions are considered before assessing how it should be adapted.
4. Harassment as discrimination
Harassment is about offending another person or a group of people. It can involve derogatory comments, ostracism, gestures and the like. The person subjected to harassment decides whether the action is offensive. The person who’s victimized also has to be clear that the act is offensive for it to count as harassment. A prerequisite for being able to claim that something is harassment is that the person harassing has it made clear to them. However, there are of course situations that are so obviously offensive that the person being harassed doesn’t need to speak up.
5. Sexual harassment
Just as the term indicates, sexual harassment has to do about actions that are offensive and of a sexual nature. Examples of sexual harassment are comments with sexual allusions, touching inappropriately and the like. Even situations where a person claims that they meant well can be considered sexual harassment if they’re of a sexual nature and the person who’s exposed experiences discomfort.
In the case of sexual harassment, it’s also enough that the act itself is harassing for it to count as discrimination. You don’t have to refer to the fact that you’re a woman, disabled or so in order to claim that the act was discriminatory.
6. Instructions to discriminate
It’s also considered discrimination if a person forces someone else to discriminate. For example, store managers can’t tell their employees to deny a certain group of people from entering the store. And restaurant owners can’t tell their staff that they shouldn’t serve a certain group of people. For it to count as instructions to discriminate, there has to be a dependency relationship between the person giving the instruction and the person receiving it.
According to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, the number of card frauds has increased by 70% during the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2022. This applies to frauds where the physical card hasn’t been stolen, instead the card numbers have been exploited. It’s a big increase in this type of crime and there are some things you can do to protect yourself against card fraud.
The most important thing, of course, is to never give out your card number to anyone. On many sites on the internet, you can pay by entering your card number. Even in those cases, it’s important to be careful. Only shop on sites you know you can trust and that you know are serious. If it’s a site you don’t previously know, make sure to look for reviews about how others have experienced that particular store. Check the store’s own reviews, both on their website and in the comments on their social media. And check if you can find reviews about the store at an independent review site. Search Google and see if there are articles or forums where others warn against shopping on that site.
All banks have different security solutions for card purchases. These can be both activated and deactivated. Check with your bank what applies to your card and consult with them which security option suits you best.
Card fraud is a problem both online and in real life
Sometimes ATMs and gas pumps can be rigged to collect card details that are then used in fraud crimes. It may not always be easy to tell if an ATM or gas pump you intend to use is rigged, but there are some things you can keep an eye on. If you can wiggle the keypad or the card reader, it’s best not to use your card there.
A solution that’s effective but can feel complicated if you do a lot of shopping online is to keep internet purchases on your card blocked. Whenever you want to shop online, you can just activate online purchases for that brief moment. Although it may seem like an ordeal, this solution works really well to prevent you from becoming a victim of card fraud.
If you’ve already been the victim of card fraud, it’s important you block your card and report the crime to the police immediately. The card can be blocked by calling your bank and the crime should be reported by calling 114 14.
Do you know what applies when travelling to the UK after Brexit?
Make sure you know what applies before travelling
It’s been a few years since Brexit and the initial shock has worn off. But even though life has moved on, it can be difficult to know what applies when travelling to the UK after Brexit. So we’ve listed everything you need to know so you can spend more time enjoying your trip.
When travelling to the UK, you have to have a valid passport. It’s the only form of ID they accept when entering the country. This applies regardless of why you’re traveling there and which country you’ve traveled from. In some cases, you also need a visa to enter the country. For example, going to the UK to work or study requires a visa. But if you’re going there as a tourist or to visit someone, you won’t need a visa as long as you don’t stay longer than six months. This also applies to business trips when going there for meetings or conferences. However, you need a visa regardless of why you’re going there if you intend to stay longer than six months.
UK after Brexit – what about when you’re in the country?
Once you’re in the UK, you can use both your national drivers license and the European Health Insurance Card if needed. You can also use your Swedish drivers license if you plan to drive there. If you plan to travel between Ireland and Northern Ireland, you can do so freely until 1 January 2025.
A good thing to keep in mind when traveling to the UK after Brexit is to check for any price changes in your mobile plan. Previously, mobile operators weren’t allowed to charge extra fees when traveling to the UK, but that is allowed now. So make sure you know what the costs are so you don’t get an unwanted surprise with your next bill. This applies to both call, SMS and surfing costs.
Do you have a problem with people picking apples from your yard?
What applies according to the right of access to private land?
If you have an apple tree on your property, you know that the trees usually produce fruit in abundance. This leads to many people usually advertising on social media that others are free to come by and pick apples from them. However there are also people who enter other people’s yard to pick apples and then referring to the common right of access to private land.
According to the common right, we’re allowed to “cross someone else’s land and temporarily stay there”. But what about the fruit that grows there? Can anyone pick from your apple tree?
The fact of the matter is, it’s a common misconception that anyone can walk into other peoples property and start picking apples. According to the common right of access to private land, you can pick berries and mushrooms that grow in forests and fields. You can also pick seeds, nuts and cones from the ground. But the apples that grow on your apple tree are considered as your property. This means that not just anyone can come in to your property and pick your apples. This applies to both the apples that grow on the tree and those that lie on your yard.
Should branches from your tree extend over to the neighbor’s property, the neighbor has the right to cut those branches as long as it doesn’t damage the tree. Your neighbor also gets to pick the apples that fall on their yard. When the apples fall on the neighbor’s yard, they’re considered to be the neighbor’s property. It’s only when they remain on the tree or have fallen onto your yard that the apples are considered as yours.
So when are you allowed to pick apples then?
Some municipalities grow apple trees on municipal land. Those trees are considered as cultivated apple trees. You’re not allowed to pick fruit and berries that are obviously cultivated. However, many municipalities usually advertise that residents can pick the fruit as long as they make sure there’s enough fruit left for others who also want to pick. So in other words, make sure to always ask the owner if you can pick. Or find the nearest apple tree at Äkta Vara. Many owners advertise there that others are free to come and pick from their trees.
When it’s time to renovate your home, there are a couple of things you need to keep an eye on. Firstly, you need to know and be sure of what your dream home should look like. Secondly, you have to be aware of your rights as a client when you renovate. Even if you do thorough research to find a reputable handyman, there’s always the risk of things going wrong. But luckily, you have the law on your side. So you don’t need to worry if the worst should happen.
The absolute most important thing with all orders from handymen is to make sure you have documentation of the communication. Email rather than call and be clear about what you want. Use both text and images and carefully read the quotes you receive. This way you can always go back and check what was said. And you can also compare and see if the end result is what was agreed upon.
If anything goes wrong, you always have the right to demand that the handyman corrects the error. Then the handyman has to bear any costs resulting from correcting the error. This applies to both material, travel and labor costs.
Just as you have the right to have any wrongdoings corrected, the handyman also has the right to correct the error. By that we mean that the handyman doesn’t have to make any deductions to the price as a first option. If you want the handyman to lower the cost of the job as a first attempt of righting the wrong, the handyman can refuse you that.
If the handyman can’t correct the fault
If it’s impossible for the handyman to correct the error, you are, however, entitled to a deduction from the price. The deduction should correspond to the error. For example, it could be the amount of what it costs you to hire another handyman to correct the error. And if it’s a cosmetic defect, i.e. a defect that has nothing to do with how something functions, the price reduction is usually roughly the same as the reduction in value caused by the defect.
Revoking an agreement means that the agreement is no longer valid and that any work that has been started immediately stops. Since errors occured means the handyman has already started the work, you can’t revoke the entire contract. However, you can revoke parts of the agreement. Then you don’t have to pay the handyman for the parts that’s been revoked. However, you have to pay for the work the handyman has already performed. The handyman also has the right to claim back materials that won’t be used due to cancellation of the job. If it involves greater inconvenience and costs for you to return the material, they can’t request it back.
The handyman has to advise you from unnecessary work
As a handyman, you have to notify customers of any work deemed unnecessary. By that, we mean that if the customer wants help sanding their patio, but the handyman sees that the entire patio actually needs to be redone, the handyman has to let you know. This is because otherwise, there will be additional costs for you as a client sand a patio that you then have to tear down.
If your handyman doesn’t advise you against work that they know is unnecessary, you generally only need to pay for the part of the work the handyman performs before seeing that any continuing work done is unnecessary. As a handyman, you have to advise against the primary agreement and instead try to agree on work that gives the sustainable result each customer wants without it leading to additional costs in the long run.
Everything you need to know when you’re going to travel with a cat
Make sure you know what applies when traveling with a cat.
It may not be common to travel abroad with a cat, but when it happens, it’s important that you know what applies. The requirements are different depending on the country you’re traveling to, both when traveling out of Sweden and when returning. What applies in your case depends on which country you plan to visit. Mainly it’s what the rabies situation is like in the country you’re visiting that you need to prepare for. The world’s countries are divided into three categories depending on how widespread rabies is in each country:
EU countries and other countries with working routines for detecting rabies.
Countries outside the EU where the rabies situation is documented and followed up.
Countries outside the EU where the rabies situation isn’t under control.
1. Travel with a cat to EU countries and other countries with working routines to detect rabies
When you travel to EU countries and countries outside the EU with functioning routines to detect rabies, you have to make sure that your cat, among other things:
is ID tagged with a chip by a veterinarian or approved ID tagger.
is ID marked with an ISO microchip by a veterinarian. The rabies vaccine has to be valid for the duration of your trip and also be approved in the country you’re visiting. Otherwise, you need to revaccinate your cat during the trip.
has a pet passport where the date of or reading of the ID tag and ID number is stated.
When you travel back to Sweden, you have to register your cat with customs. You can either do this when your passing through customs or in advance on the Swedish Customs Administration’s website.
2. Countries outside the EU where the rabies situation is documented and followed up.
According to the World Health Organization, several countries outside the EU have working routines for detecting rabies. You can check which countries these are on the Swedish Agricultural Agency’s website. When traveling to one of these countries with your cat, you have to ensure that your cat, among other things:
is ID marked with an ISO microchip by a veterinarian.
is ID marked with an ISO microchip by a veterinarian. The rabies vaccine has to be valid for the duration of your trip and also be approved in the country you’re visiting. Otherwise, you need to revaccinate your cat during the trip.
Some cats, despite vaccination, don’t have sufficient antibody protection against rabies. So you also have to make sure your cat has enough antibodies against rabies by taking a blood test from your cat before you travel. This can be done by a titer test.
When traveling back to Sweden, you can use your cat’s EU passport as long as the cat’s rabies vaccination was entered in the passport before you left Sweden/EU. This means that the vaccination has to be valid throughout your entire trip. You also need to register your cat with customs when returning to Sweden.
3. Travel with a cat to countries outside the EU where the rabies situation isn’t under control
If you’re planning to travel to a country that doesn’t have control over the rabies situation, it’s important you’re careful with your cat. You can easily check which countries have problems with rabies on the website of the Swedish Agricultural Agency. If you plan to travel to one of these countries, you have to ensure that your cat, among other things:
is ID marked with an ISO microchip by a veterinarian.
is vaccinated against rabies but only after the cat has been ID marked. The rabies vaccine has to be valid for the duration of your trip and also be approved in the country you’re visiting. Otherwise, you need to revaccinate your cat during the trip.
has done a titer test. Meaning your cat has been to a vet who has checked that your cat has enough antibodies against rabies through a blood sample. The test can only be done at the earliest 30 days after your cat has been vaccinated against rabies.
When you travel back to Sweden, you can use your cat’s EU passport as long as both the cat’s rabies vaccination and the titer test was entered in the passport before you left Sweden/EU. This means that the vaccination has to be valid throughout your entire trip. You also need to register your cat with customs when returning to Sweden.
It’s not just rabies that can be a problem
In addition to keeping track of the rabies situation, there can be other requirements for traveling with a cat. The best way to find out what the requirements are is by contacting the country’s veterinary authority. For example, some countries require that the cat is dewormed against echinococcosis. And some countries only allow certain breeds of cats in the country.
Even the airlines sometimes have special requirements that you need to check before traveling. In addition, if the cat isn’t traveling with you, you need to obtain a pet owner’s declaration that gives authorization and states that you have allowed your cat to travel with another agent. You also need to send copies of your travel bookings so the agents know when you’re traveling and through which countries.
In Sweden there’s no quarantine for cats. This means that if you travel with your cat and don’t meet the requirements, you risk your cat not being allowed to enter Sweden. For safety’s sake, bring a chip reader with you that you have tested reading your cat’s chip. Otherwise, if the chip can’t be read at customs, you risk your cat not being allowed to enter in to the country.
Make sure you know what applies in your case when you plan to travel with your dog
If you plan to travel with a dog, it’s especially important to make sure you know of the requirements of the country you’re visiting, regarding both taking the dog out of Sweden and bringing the dog back in. When you travel with a dog, it’s usually rabies you need to protect your dog from. What applies in your case depends on the state of the rabies situation in the country you want to visit. The world’s countries are divided into three categories based on the rabies situation:
EU countries and countries with functioning routines for detecting rabies
Countries where the rabies situation is a problem but where it’s documented and followed up.
Countries where the rabies situation is out of control.
Regardless of which country you’re traveling to, it’s also important that you check whether the country has special requirements for traveling dogs. Different countries have different requirements. If you visit Norway, Finland, Ireland and Malta, your dog has to be dewormed against echinococcos. And Denmark only allows certain dog breeds in the country. You can easily find out what applies in your case from the country’s veterinary authorities or the country’s embassy in Sweden.
1. EU countries and countries with functioning routines for detecting rabies
In addition to the countries within the EU, there are other countries with functioning routines for detecting rabies. On the Swedish Agricultural Agency’s website you can find which countries these are. If you’re planning a trip to and from one of these countries, you have to make sure that your dog, among other things:
is ID tagged with a chip by a veterinarian or approved ID tagger.
is vaccinated against rabies, but only after the dog has been ID marked.
has an EU passport for pets.
When you enter Sweden, you have to register your dog with customs. If the customs point is unmanned, you need to call and wait for the customs staff so they can register your dog. In other words, you can’t pass customs until the staff has registered your dog.
If you and your dog travel on separate dates or on different routes, your dog has to be insured during the trip. Since the airline also could have special conditions, you need to check what applies if you plan to fly.
2. Countries where the rabies situation is a problem but where it is documented and followed up
To travel to and from these countries, you have to make sure your dog, among other things:
is ID tagged with a chip by a veterinarian or approved ID tagger.
has a valid vaccination against rabies, but only after the dog is ID marked. If you don’t have time to revaccinate your dog before the validity period of the latest vaccine dose has expired, you have to wait 21 days after the vaccination before you’re allowed to travel with your dog.
has a health certificate from the Swedish Agency for Agriculture if the vaccination against rabies expires during the trip. The certificate has to be filled in by an official veterinarian in the country you’re visiting. You have to travel with your dog via an Entry Point in the EU within 10 days. These are special places within the EU where animals brought in from countries outside the EU can be checked. Sweden has two Entry Points, one at Arlanda and one at Landvetter.
has an EU passport for pets in which the latest vaccination against rabies is documented.
3. Travel with a dog to countries where the rabies situation is out of control
In countries where the rabies situation is a problem, it’s important you’re careful with your dog. If you travel to a country with widespread rabies, you have to be extra careful and, among other things, make sure that your dog:
is ID tagged with a chip by a veterinarian or approved ID tagger.
has a valid vaccination against rabies, but only after the dog is ID marked. If you don’t have time to revaccinate your dog before the validity period of the latest vaccine dose has expired, you have to wait 21 days after the vaccination before you’re allowed to travel with your dog.
has enough antibodies against rabies. This can be done by having a veterinarian take a blood sample from your dog.
has a valid health certificate that’s issued only 3 months after the blood sample has been taken.
has a health certificate from the Swedish Agency for Agriculture if the vaccination against rabies expires during the trip. The certificate has to be filled in by an official veterinarian in the country you’re visiting. Afterwards you have to travel with your dog to an Entry Point in the EU within 10 days. These are special places within the EU where animals brought in from countries outside the EU can be checked. Sweden has two Entry Points, one at Arlanda and one at Landvetter.
has an EU passport for pets in which the latest vaccination against rabies is documented.
4 things to keep in mind before you book an all inclusive trip
Keep these pointers in mind when booking an all inclusive trip
All inclusive trips are an incredibly convenient way to travel for those who want to enjoy the sun and swim and want to leave the managing of the trip to someone else. That’s why the trips are also very popular. But there are a couple of things that are good to know when you book an all inclusive trip.
1. You may be entitled to get the trip cheaper
Did you know that you can get the trip cheaper if changes in taxes, fees, exchange rates or fuel costs are reduced after your purchase? In the conditions of many travel companies, it’s stated that changes in the price can take place up to 20 days before departure. This way, the travel companies are able to cover any increased costs. But if the costs are lowered, you’re also entitled to a deduction of the cost. This only applies to changes due to taxes, fees, exchange rates and fuel costs.
This doesn’t apply if the travel company doesn’t state in the conditions that minor changes in the price can take place. And if the travel company increases the price by more than eight percent of the total price for the trip, you have the right to cancel the trip altogether and get a full refund.
2. If what you pay for isn’t what you get
Many trips with all inclusive include excursions, events and the like. It’s not uncommon for there to be changes in the content of the trip after you’ve paid for it. Regardless of whether there are changes on site or if the changes are on the travel route itself, you’re entitled to a price deduction if the trip ends up in a worse standard because of the changes. How much you can deduct depends on the changes. You simply receive a deduction that’s equal to the cost of the changes.
If there are changes made that leaves you with extra costs, you may be able to claim damages from the travel company. And if the changes are so great that the contents of the trip doesn’t match what you’ve paid for at all, you have the right to cancel the trip and get your money back. In such cases, there’s no standard practice to say if you’ll get your claim for cancelling approved. It’s rather assessed on a case-by-case basis. Regardless, make sure to save all your receipts.
3. Should the flight in your all inclusive trip be cancelled
Sometimes it happens that the flight in your all inclusive trip is cancelled. If this happens, you should contact the travel company and not the airline in question. The travel company is obliged to rebook you on another flight. If that doesn’t work, you have the right to cancel the trip and get a full refund.
If your flight is cancelled, you might also be entitled to compensation for the time you have lost. The EU has special rules that apply to canceled flights. If you request compensation for your canceled flight, contact the airline and not the travel company.
4. If the travel company changes the date of your all inclusive trip
If the travel company changes the dates of your trip so that the trip is shorter, you’re entitled to a deduction for the days you miss. But they can also change the dates of the trip without you being entitled to compensation. This applies if it’s stated in the travel company’s terms and conditions that minor changes in dates can take place.
If the change of travel date is of great importance to you, you might have the right to cancel the trip and get a refund. This is also assessed on a case-by-case basis and you must be able to prove that the change affects you negatively in some way. You can do this by making sure to send in receipts or other documents to prove your case.
Everything you need to know about compensation for canceled flights
Find out if you’re entitled to compensation for canceled flights before you travel
Once you’ve planned your trip, the last thing you want to know is that your flight has been cancelled. Make sure to have the right information and be well prepared in case the worst would happen. Then you might at least be able to get compensation for your canceled flight.
There are specific rules that apply to canceled flights within the EU. This applies to both flights that take off from an airport in the EU and flights with EU-registered airlines that land within the EU. Regardless of the reason for the cancellation and when you have received the information, you always have the right to:
get rebooked to the next possible flight, alternatively to a flight at a later time if it suits you better.
get a refund for the trip that has been cancelled.
When you want money back for the canceled flight
If you choose to get a refund for the flight, the airline has to refund the ticket costs within seven days. The airline cannot pay you with, for example, credit receipts or gift cards unless it’s something you choose yourself. If the cancellation means that the purpose of your trip is lost, you might be entitled to a free flight to the place where you began your trip. This applies if the reason why you wanted to travel was to take part in an event that only takes place during specific dates, for example a conference, a wedding, a funeral and the like.
If you choose to get money back from the airline, you can’t ask for more compensation from them. However, if you choose to rebook your trip, you might be entitled to compensation for any accommodation and for food and drink. If choosing to rebook your trip to the next possible flight means you have to pay for an overnight stay in a hotel, the airline is obliged to cover those costs. If the hotel is outside the airport, the airline has to pay for transportation to and from the airport.
If another airline offers a trip sooner than the airline you have chosen, you have the right to demand to be rebooked with the other airline. However, it’s important that you always contact your airline before booking another trip. Otherwise, you risk missing out on compensation.
What happens if the airline refuses to compensate for a canceled flight?
If your airline refuses you in any way, you can demand compensation afterwards. Keep in mind, however, that you might not be reimbursed for all costs. Make sure to keep any costs to a minimum to be on the safe side. This applies for both if you rebook your trip with another airline and if you need to pay for food, drinks and hotel accommodation.
If you don’t get help from your airline, you can submit a case to the Swedish National Board for Consumer Disputes afterwards. You will have to send in a description of what happened, copies of all the receipts you claim compensation for and any other documents they need to receive to assess your case. The National Board for Consumer Disputes will then assesses whether you’re entitled and what you’re entitled to.
The website Hallå konsument has a handy flight calculator where you can quickly find out what you’re entitled to.
If the airline refers to force majeure
Force majeure is a common clause in all contracts. It means that the agreement doesn’t apply in extreme circumstances that are beyond human control. Examples of such circumstances are if a country becomes politically unstable in a short time, if a natural disaster or extreme weather conditions occur, if a strike breaks out and the like. In such circumstances, the airline doesn’t have to reimburse you. Technical faults on the aircraft aren’t a basis for force majeure.
When an airline refers to force majeure, they have to first show that they have tried to get the flight going as usual. Otherwise, the airline will primarily decide whether the canceled flight is due to force majeure or something else.
