Claiming compensation for delayed flights

Sponsored by AirHelp | Oct 5, 2018

Have you ever been on a flight that was delayed or cancelled? Have you ever been “bumped” or denied boarding on a flight? If so, you could be entitled to airline compensation.

Did you know that 13 million passengers miss out on over 7 billion euros in compensation every year?

According to EC261, airlines are legally required to compensate passengers for flight delays longer than 3 hours, cancellations, and in situations where they are denied boarding. Depending on how long your flight was, AirHelp can help you get up to 600 € for your trouble, including flights up to 3 years in the past.

How to know if I can claim?


Being European legislation, flights within Europe are covered, however, many international flights are covered, as well. If your flight departs from an airport in the EU, it’s covered. If your flight departs from elsewhere but your destination is in the EU and you are flying with a European carrier, you are also set.

You could file the claim on your own, but there’s no telling how long and complicated the steps for filing a claim could be – that will depend on the airline, the circumstances for the disruption, and the information you have. Chances are, the airline might ignore your letter.But you are never alone if you file your claim through AirHelp! All you have to do is submit your claim, enter the details of your flight, and sit back and wait while we do the rest. (We’ll even take the airline to court if it comes to that). We only get paid if you do, a 25% of the claim, when we get you the money.

What do I need to file a claim?


Here are a few tips:

* Keep your e-tickets and boarding passes, and also all data from any alternative flights offered.
* Note the actual arrival time at your final destination. If you need, take a photo of the departures board at the airport or any communications from the airline that confirms the delay.
* Inquire with airline personnel about what’s the reason for the delay.

So, there are good and bad reasons?


Yes, the airline can avoid paying if the delay happened because of an “extraordinary circumstances.” Situations like lightning strikes, medical emergencies, strikes initiated by airport employees, serious adverse weather conditions, Air Traffic Control restrictions, airport issues… you get the idea.

The easiest way to find out if you’re covered is to use the AirHelp eligibility check. We’ll check your claim for free, and if you allow us, our robot can even have a quick look to see if you have any other eligible flights on your mailbox.

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Written by AirHelp
We’re a Y Combinator backed startup with ambitious plans to end your flying woes once and for all. In a nutshell, we help air passengers around the world secure compensation for delayed, canceled, or overbooked flights. We fight for millions of travelers who are unsure of their rights, lack the time, or lack the expertise to embark on the claims process independently. We believe that air passenger rights weren't made for airlines to interpret on a whim. That’s why we’ve made it our job to hold the airlines to their financial obligations. We fight back in court, through national enforcement bodies, and online -- by exposing the airlin... Read more

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