How Does Flight Delay Compensation Work? The Facts! (1)

You’re ready for your holiday, or perhaps even a business meeting, you arrive at the airport early, and all is going well…until the dreaded announcement comes over the annoy to inform you of a delay. We all know how frustrating this can be, but not everybody is aware that flight delay compensation may be available (in some cases, the compensation can cover the cost of the flight!). Ultimately, the compensation you receive depends on the circumstances surrounding the delay itself.

If your flight happens to leave before the original departure time and you are only notified within 14 hours of the flight, you could qualify for compensation. Currently, as a passenger, your rights are protected by law. Flight Claims Online uses European Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 to retrieve compensation affected passengers are entitled to.

Today, we want to break down some of the most common questions regarding this topic so you can feel confident moving forward. If you think you’re owed flight delay compensation after reading this short guide, free to get in touch with one of our professional advisers and they’ll provide tailored advice to you!

Why Are Delays So Common?

In truth, there are certain inefficiencies with flights that are almost unavoidable. While airlines book runway slots approximately three months before the flight, tickets for said flights have already been available for more than nine months. Therefore, one small issue with staff or runway availability can lead to scheduling errors (and, you guessed it, delays).

For those who have been moved to another airline or flight, you will likely qualify for flight delay compensation and may even get a full refund.

How Much Am I Owed?

With this information in mind, the next obvious question regards the compensation amount itself. The compensation you receive will depend on a number of factors, including;

•    The airline in question

•    The extent of the delay

•    The reason for the delay

•    Your arrival time (at the destination)

Luckily, flight delay compensation is a fairly common these days, which means there are some brilliant tools online; for example, our website provides a compensation calculator where you can get an accurate estimation of what you’re owed.

If you read the small print from the airline, you’ll probably find a section explaining the delay time required before compensation is awarded. However, what you have to realise is that your rights are also protected by the European Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004. The airlines have some suggested delay times what they ‘consider’ to be a delay worth of compensation:

•    Virgin - 12+ hours

•    Easyjet - 5+ hours

•    Thomson - 5+ hours

•    Ryanair - 3+ hours

•    British Airways - 2+ hours

Make a Claim Today

Although the process can be a little confusing, Flight Claims Online aim to make it much easier when retrieving the compensation you’re owed. With our professional and reliable service, we know the industry like the back of our hands and will put you in the strongest possible position to receive the right flight delay compensation for your claim!