Norway's holiday travelers faced a seven-hour airport wait this week, only to receive a meal voucher worth 55 Norwegian kroner, a sum their own tour operator has called unreasonably low. The Air Baltic flight from Molde to Gran Canaria, scheduled for a 3:30 PM departure last Wednesday, was grounded by a technical fault with the forward cargo door, leaving passengers like Christopher Evan Brevik and others stranded, cold, and frustrated.
Technical Glitch Grounds Holiday Flight
The trouble began shortly after passengers boarded the aircraft at Molde Airport. They remained seated for nearly an hour before being instructed to disembark. The airline cited a loss of power to the motor controlling the forward cargo door as the cause. Christopher Evan Brevik described the initial communication to passengers as misleading. "When we got off the plane that couldn't take off, we were told a new plane was already in the air and on its way to Molde. That was a lie. It doesn't take six hours to fly from Riga to Molde," he stated. A replacement aircraft was eventually dispatched from Riga, Latvia, with the flight finally taking off at 10:12 PM, nearly seven hours behind schedule.
Passenger Frustration and Meager Compensation
During the extended wait at the airport, the tour operator Ving Norge informed passengers they would receive a food voucher. The value was set at 55 kroner, equivalent to approximately 5 euros. This amount sparked immediate criticism from the weary travelers, many of whom were beginning a long-awaited vacation. The voucher's value became a focal point for their broader dissatisfaction with the handling of the delay. Brevik summarized the experience bluntly: "We can put it this way: everything went wrong."
Tour Operator Criticizes Airline Protocol
In a notable move, the tour company itself publicly criticized the airline's compensation measure. Marie-Anne Zachrisson, the head of Ving Norge, stated clearly that her company did not approve of Air Baltic's valuation of the meal voucher. "I completely agree. This amount is far too low and doesn't go far," Zachrisson said. She emphasized that their agreement with the carrier is predicated on compliance with EU Regulation 261/2004, which mandates that airlines provide meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time during significant delays. "This low level has already been followed up from our side," she added, indicating the issue had been formally raised with the airline.
The Framework of EU Passenger Rights
The incident highlights the practical application of EU passenger rights, which are enforceable for flights departing from EU airports and, as in this case, flights from Norway operated by EU carriers. Regulation 261/2004 is designed to establish minimum standards for compensation and assistance. While it requires care and refreshments, it does not specify monetary values, leaving interpretation to airlines. This gap between regulatory intent and on-the-ground implementation is what Ving Norge is challenging. Passengers were advised to keep all receipts for additional expenses to claim further reimbursement, a process often requiring direct engagement with the operating airline.
Broader Implications for Air Travel from Norway
For Norwegian travelers, particularly those using regional airports like Molde, this case underscores the importance of understanding their rights under EU law. Delays due to technical issues are typically considered the airline's responsibility, triggering obligations for care and, in cases of very long delays reaching the destination, potential financial compensation. The vocal stance by Ving Norge may encourage more consistent application of these rules across the industry, setting a precedent for what constitutes a "reasonable" meal allowance during extended waits. The incident also raises questions about communication protocols, as passenger trust was eroded not just by the delay but by perceived misinformation about the arrival time of the replacement aircraft.
Ultimately, the story of the delayed flight from Molde is less about a single technical fault and more about the value assigned to a traveler's time and comfort. As airlines navigate post-pandemic recovery and high demand, the scrutiny on their customer service and regulatory compliance will only intensify. Will the criticism from a major tour operator lead to a tangible change in how airlines calibrate their on-the-ground support during disruptions, or will 55-kroner vouchers remain the standard response to a lost day of holiday?