Complete Guide to Your Rights with Respect to Flight Delays and Cancellations

Airlines these days for their own protection, provide information regarding flight delays on their website and in other documentation. Just because they do this, however, does not prevent a passenger who has experienced a delay from making a claim for compensation. We here at Flight Claims Online have a vast wealth of experience that has seen hundreds of passengers receive compensation and the same may be true for you if you have experienced a delay when travelling to/from a European airport over the past few years.

As you may have already discovered, there is very little information regarding flight delay compensation available…but we’re on a mission to change this!

Flight Delay Compensation

The main rule when dealing with a flight delay or cancellation is Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, and by using this rule anybody who has experienced a delay can submit a claim to receive the compensation they deserve. We here at Flight Claims Online pride ourselves on making the process incredibly easy because we know exactly how stressful and frustrating it can be dealing with airlines in these situations. Our aim is to guide you through the process effortlessly and with little fuss, making claims easy and, more importantly, getting you the compensation that you deserve.

The biggest question people ask when they experience a delay or cancellation is, “Will I receive compensation?” Well, the answer to the question depends on the cause of your delay, the length of the delay, flight distance, and the airports used on your journey. Over the next few pages we are going to look at each individually:

1. Cause of Delay

Firstly, you will only be eligible for compensation if the airline is directly accountable for the delay/cancellation. Common reasons where an airline will be accountable include:

•    Lack of communication between the airline and the airport

•    Technical or engineering issues

•    Airline staff strikes (NOT airport staff)

•    Issues arising from cabin crew and pilots

There are, however, situations where the airline will not be directly responsible, and as a result you won’t be eligible for compensation, such as:

•    Air traffic controller issues

•    Extreme weather conditions

•    Security alerts

•    Political unrest that impacts on the airport

•    Severe technical faults outside of routine checks

•    Strikes by airport staff (NOT airline staff which is covered)

2. Length of Delay

The second question we need to answer when assessing the validity of a claim is, how long was the flight and how long was the delay. ‘Delay time’ is defined as the difference between your expected can be used for guidance;

Destination	Distance	Delay	Compensation (EUR)
All	Under 1,500km	3+ hours	250
Inside EU	Over 1,500km	3+ hours	400
Between EU & Non-EU	1,500-3,500km	3+ Hours	400
Between EU & Non-EU	Over 3,500km	4+ Hours	600

If you do experience a delay or cancellation then depending on the airline, you may be given vouchers for refreshments, accommodation, transport to that accommodation and any expenses required for communication as a result of the delay/cancellation. Accommodation vouchers are only applicable if you experience an overnight delay to your flight. Those with reduced mobility should also receive extra help in line with their needs. If you don’t use the vouchers provided then receipts of any out of pocket expenses can be submitted to the airline to claim a subsequent refund, bearing in mind that any reimbursement will only be for ‘reasonable’ costs incurred.

In some cases, the type of ticket you purchased will prevent you making a claim regarding a delayed flight. For example, in the following situations you will not be eligible for compensation:

•    Those with a multi-mode ticket for travel on ferry, rail, or any other mode of transport.

•    Those who bought the ticket with a holiday package.

•    Those travelling with a free/special ticket, including staff discount tickets.

3. Departing and Destination Airports

The final criteria that determines your eligibility for flight delay compensation is the location of your departure airport and the destination of the flight. Only flights departing or arriving at European airports or made by a European airline are covered by European Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

At this moment in time, the regulation doesn’t cover departures from the Channel Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, or the Isle of Man.

Contact Us Today

We here at Flight Claims Online hope the information above has helped you understand more about flight delay compensation and, more importantly, if you are eligible to make a claim.

If you think you may be eligible for compensation and feel that your case qualifies after you have read the three considerations above, then feel free to send us a message or drop us a line for further information. Our friendly and helpful advisers are always willing to discuss the claims process in more detail and set you on taking the first step towards getting the compensation you deserve.

If you do choose us then not only will you benefit from our friendly and experienced staff but our fee of only 25% of the final compensation is lower than most other flight compensation companies. Furthermore, we offer a flight delay claim calculator so you can see upfront exactly how much compensation you are likely to receive.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today.