How to get flight delay compensation
If you are reading this, you probably already know…
Being delayed by an airline can be frustrating and sabotaging to your plans.
And you know what they say:
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
How could you get revenge?
Compensation.
Today, you will be supplied with all the handy information you need to get you the money you deserve!
Here’s the catch:
It can take some time and graft.
If you don’t have the time to claim, Flight Delay Claims Team can do it for you! Visit our page now to find out more.
Ready to get some money?
Let’s go!
Learn the rules
Flight delay compensation is supported by a European regulation called EU261/2004 (often shortened to EU261). This regulation protects people from being treated poorly by airline companies when flights have been delayed, cancelled or overbooked leading to passengers being denied boarding the plane.
The regulation states that airline companies must pay financial compensation to passengers who experience a delay of 3 hours or more on arrival. The compensation you can receive is up to £540 per passenger.
Despite airlines trying to fight this regulation in court since 2005, we have secured compensation for thousands of people for many different types of flight delay claim.
What makes a successful and eligible claim?
Was the flight in the EU?
For a claim to be eligible under EU261, the flight must have done at least one of the following:
- Departed from an EU airport;
- Arrived at an EU airport on an EU airline.
For example, a flight from London to any destination on any airline would be covered by the regulation. A flight to London from New York on British Airways would be covered but the same route on American Airlines wouldn’t be covered as it’s not an EU carrier.
Was arrival delayed by over 3 hours?
The flight must be delayed by at least 3 hours on arrival at the original destination. This means if you set off 3 hours 10 minutes late and the pilot makes up 15 minutes during the flight, so that you arrive 2 hours 55 minutes late – you wouldn’t be able to claim compensation.
Was the flight less than six years ago?
You can claim on any flight in the six years preceding the start of your claim. If the flight was more than six years ago, you will not be able to fight the case in court so it is extremely unlikely you can make the airline pay out.
It can take years to receive compensation. If a court proceeding takes place, it puts a halt on the clock for the six year time limit. This is why we start court proceedings as soon as possible as it can speed up the process!
Here is how much you could be entitled to depending on the distance you’ve travelled:
|
Distance |
Delay |
Compensation amount |
|
Up to 1500 km |
Over 3 hrs |
€250 |
|
1500-3500 km |
Over 3 hrs |
€400 |
|
Over 3500 km & |
Over 3 hrs |
€400 |
|
Over 3500 km |
3-4 hrs |
€300 |
|
Over 3500 km |
Over 4 hrs |
€600 |
How long does it take to make a claim?
It can take anywhere from 24 hours to a number of months to receive your compensation, depending on how strongly the airline contests the claim.
Airlines are entitled to take any case to court, which is why it is always beneficial to use a solicitor. All of our work is done at a fixed cost so you won’t need to pay extra for us attending court. If we lose, you don’t pay!
If you did want to try claiming yourself directly from the airline then you should familiarise yourself with EU Regulation 261/2004 and the small claims process in the UK.
Often, the airline will state the cause of the delay was an extraordinary circumstance. However, you should never give up at this stage as thousands of cases are won after this statement has been made. It is just a routine statement.
We can always support you if you get to this stage and you’re struggling to claim yourself.
Read Part Two – Which types of delay can I claim for?
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