Are the protections provided for by Regulation 261/04 in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation or prolonged delay the same whether I travel with a Community airline or a non-Community airline?

Yes. Regulation (EC) 261/2004 applies to all flights (scheduled and non-scheduled) departing from:

• a Community airport, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland
• an airport located in a third country destined for a Community airport (including Norway, Iceland and Switzerland) in the event that the airline operating the flight is a Community one (or Norwegian, Icelandic or Swiss) and unless the benefits provided for by local legislation.

Regulation (EC) 261/2004 does not apply:

• to all flights departing from a third country to a Community airport (including Norway, Iceland and Switzerland) operated by non-Community airlines. In this case the protections are those ensured by local legislation and by the rules governing the transport contract.