Complete Guide to Your Rights with Flight Delays and Cancellations

For their own protection, you may find that airlines provide information regarding flight delays on their website, or in documentation which may explain that you not entitle to compensation. However, this isn't to say that flight delay compensation can’t be retrieved. In the past, we’ve seen hundreds of passengers receive flight delay compensation using Flight Claims Online, and the same may be true for you if you were travelling to/from a European airport.

As you’ve probably discovered yourself, there’s very little information available regarding this topic…but we’re on a mission to change this!

Flight Delay Compensation 

In conjunction with Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, we help passengers claim the compensation they deserve after experiencing a cancellation (or even a delay). Not only is this possible, the process is incredibly easy with Flight Claims Online because we know you’re already stressed and frustrated with the airline. Rather than frustrating you even further, we aim to guide you through the process effortlessly.

Will you receive compensation? This all depends on the cause of your delay, the length of the delay and flight distance between the two airports.

1. Cause of Delay

Firstly, we should note that compensation will only be achievable when the airline is directly accountable for the delay, cancellation or overbooking. Common reasons include;

•    Lack of communication between airline and airport

•    Technical or engineering issues

•    Staff strikes (airline ONLY)

•    Issues with cabin crew or pilots

Since the airline isn't directly responsible, you won’t be eligible for compensation for;

•    Air traffic controller clearance (or lack of!)

•    Extreme weather

•    Security alerts (threats of terrorism)

•    Political unrest

•    Severe technical faults (aside of routine checks)

•    Strikes from airport staff

2. Length of Delay

Secondly, how long was your flight and how long were you kept waiting? In terms of ‘delay time’ this is the difference between your expected and actual arrival time. The following table should give you some 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

Depending on the airline, you may be given vouchers for refreshments, accommodation, transport (to accommodation), and expenses for communication (phone calls or WiFi). Of course, the accommodation vouchers will only be applicable where overnight delays or cancellations apply. Also, we should note that help should be provided for those with reduced mobility. For those who don’t use vouchers, you’ll be asked to keep receipts and claim a refund later.

Furthermore, any reimbursed expenses will be for purchases considered ‘reasonable’ (i.e. you can’t have a five course meal and expect the airline to pay for it!). Before heading into the third consideration, not everybody will be entitled to compensation. The following customers will be ineligible;

•    Those with a multi-mode ticket (planning to travel on ferry, rail, or another mode of transport).

•    Those who bought the ticket with a holiday package.

•    Those travelling with a free/special ticket (this includes staff discount tickets).

3. Departing and Destination Airports

Finally, what airport did you leave and where were you heading? To be protected under the regulations, you either need to be departing/arriving in Europe or the flight needs to be with a European airline. Unfortunately, the regulation doesn’t currently cover departures from the Channel Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, or the Isle of Man.

Contact Us Today

With this, you should have everything you need to know regarding flight delay compensation. Using the table above and our three considerations, feel free to send a message if you feel that you’re owed compensation. With a quick phone call, we can discuss the process in more detail and take the first step towards the money you deserve.

Thanks to our advanced policies, you won’t pay a penny if you don’t win and our fees are much lower than others in the industry at 25%. Furthermore, we offer a flight delay claim calculator so you can see how much you’re likely to receive.

Why not try it today? We’ve made the process simple so your days of frustration can come to an end!

Flight Schedule Changes - Can I Get Compensation?

When planning our trips away, whether business or pleasure, we don’t account for delays, cancellations, and changes to the flight schedules. Unfortunately, they do happen with airlines…and there’s something you can do about it. Although it’s not widely advertised, some passengers will be eligible for flight delay compensation and we’ve made the claiming process easier than ever before.

In many cases, a delay (or even an advance) to the flight time will allow for compensation since you bought the ticket with the promise of a specific flight time. Today, we want to cover your rights with pre-arranged cancellations and changes rather than delays caused by strikes, weather, or engineering/technical problems.

If you don’t see your question answered here, please feel free to get in touch with us directly. Not only will you get the answers, we’ll tell you how we can help (no-obligation support, of course!).

Compensation Eligibility and Airline Notifications

Firstly, there will be restrictions depending on the extent to which your flight has been brought forward or delayed. However, in many cases, you’re eligible for compensation if the flight schedule was altered after buying the ticket thanks to European Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

Why only ‘many cases’? Well, the airline is within their rights to make adjustments to the flight schedule as long as they make passengers aware more than two weeks before the flight. If you didn't get two weeks’ notice, get in touch with us today!

Why Do Schedule Changes Occur?

In truth, these sorts of changes actually happen because airlines sell their tickets before they even know if a runway is available for the flight. While we can all buy tickets a year before flying, runway slots can only be booked three months in advance. Only once the runway is booked can the airline confirm the actual schedule, get correct staff in, etc.

Moved to Another Flight Altogether

What if you get moved to another flight rather than a simple time change? In this scenario, you’ll be entitled to either a partial or full refund through flight delay compensation because they would have cancelled your original flight (it therefore counts as a cancellation!).

Importance of Delayed/Advanced Times and Potential Compensation

With most airlines, they’ll say that significant delays deserve compensation. The problem? Unfortunately, every airline has a different definition of ‘significant’ as you’ll see below;

•    Virgin - 12+ hours

•    Easyjet - 5+ hours

•    Thomson - 5+ hours

•    Ryanair - 3+ hours

•    British Airways - 2+ hours

With this in mind, each case is normally unique depending on the delay/advance and the specific airline. If you want to see how much compensation you could be entitled to, feel free to use our brilliant flight claim calculator.

For more information, you’re welcome to ask one of our brilliant team members directly!

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!

What Does Flight Claims Online Do?

Receiving flight delay compensation acting upon your own behalf isn’t easy. It requires a full understanding of every loophole written into the EU regulation which makes passengers eligible for compensation.

For an individual it can be daunting. Yet, At Flight Claims Online, we have developed close working relationships with each of the major airlines in the EU. Each one of our flight delay claims handlers is fully trained, experienced and qualified in law to ensure that everything runs smoothly with your case.

All we will require from you in the event that your flight is delayed or cancelled are a few personal details and your flight number. We respect your privacy, which is why we are fully compliant with the new General Protection Data regulations. All your information is safe with us!

Whilst there are many new firms in the UK and other legal professionals aiding assistance with flight delay compensation, Flight Claims Online is one of the longest-running services, dedicated to helping their clients receive what they are entitled to.

Our company has transformed by going from strength to strength in recent years after so many more people are aware of the availability of flight delay compensation. Yet, we still offer the personal touch of a smaller legal agency. Our aim is to ensure that you get what you deserve, and we’re committed you receive the best possible customer care during the process. Which is why we are now ranked amongst the top specialists in the UK!

It only takes 30 days for 90% of our flight delay compensation claims to complete! It is rare for a flight delay claim to end up in court, but it is always a possibility if the airline doesn’t agree that you’re entitled to the compensation that we have requested. We won’t bog you down with all of the unnecessary details. Instead, we’ll give you the facts and general guidelines for eligibility.

If processing a claim still sounds daunting or too stressful, we’ve got you covered. All we need from you are a few personal details and your flight number! We will then cross-reference the information provided with our database which tells us all we need to know about the circumstances of the flight delay. Whilst each pay out is different. You can still get a good idea of what you will be entitled to by using our online flight delay compensation calculator.

Eligible Factors

REGULATION (EC) No 261/2004 ensures that passengers inconvenienced by flight delays or cancellations are entitled to flight delay compensation. Go through the checklist to see if you could be entitled to flight delay compensation!

ü  The delayed flight was to, from, or within the EU (These conditions apply to the following countries outside of mainland Europe: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion Island, Mayotte as well as Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.)

ü  The cause of the delay was one of the following:

-          Engineering and technical issues with theaircraft;

-          Miscommunication between airline & departing Airport;

-          Delays caused by pilots or other cabin crew members;

-          Airline staff strikes.

ü  The arrival of the flight was longer than 3 hours

Need our Help?

If you think that you are entitled to compensation under REGULATION (EC) No 261/2004, why not start the claims process today?

Use the online flight claim compensation calculator to see how much compensation you are entitled to! Or contact one of our customer service representatives if you’d like more information.

Flight Delay Compensation: The Facts

You may not be aware that if you experience flight delays, cancellations, or even overbooking, you may be due to flight delay. The amount of flight compensation you’re entitled to may even cover the whole cost of the flight, but there are many different factors which affect the monetary amount that you will receive.

Flights that have left before their original departure time may be less common than if your flight is delayed, but you will still be entitled to flight delay compensation if this happens and you are notified less than 14 hours in advance. There are laws in place to ensure that your rights as a passenger are protected. We work with the European Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 which outlines the grounds on which you are entitled to flight compensation.

This article will cover some of the most common questions we get asked in relation to flight delay compensation. If you believe you are entitled to compensation after reading the information, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with a member of our customer service team who will be happy to start your claim, or just have a free no-obligation chat.

Why do flights get delayed?

The most common reason for a flight to be delayed is due to scheduling errors, as plane tickets are bookable twelve months in advance, whereas the airline is only able to book their runway slotsthree months before the departure date. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon for there to be issues when it comes to runway availability or lack of staff.

You will still be entitled to flight delay compensation if you are moved to another flight or airline. In this instance, you may even be eligible for a full refund.

How to calculate the amount of flight delay compensation that you’re owed.

Every flight delay compensation claim is different, the amount of compensation which you are entitled to depends on multiple factors including which airline you booked with, the reason for the delay and how long your flight was delayed, which is based on how late you arrived at the destination airport.

For a quick and accurate idea of how much compensation you are entitled to, head over to our website, www.flightclaimsonline.co.uk, where you will find our easy to use flight delay calculator.

Each airline has a different amount of time which they will allow a flight to be delayed for before the passenger is entitled to compensation, but do not be fooled as your rights are covered by the European Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The ‘suggested’ delay times are as follows: 

British Airways 2+ hours
Ryanair 3+ hours
Easyjet 5+ hours
Thomson 5+ hours
Virgin 12+ hours

Ready to make a claim?

If you have any questions or would like to start your claim, head on over to our website www.flightclaimsonline.co.uk, and start your flight delay claim now.

How to File a Flight Delay Compensation Claim with Flight Claims Online

How to File a Flight Delay Compensation Claim with Flight Claims Online - The majority of flight passengers is unaware that they are covered by European Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, and are likely owed flight compensation if they have experienced flight delays, over bookings, cancellations or in some instances, have been denied boarding.  This regulation covers you even if you do not have holiday insurance.

The amount of compensation you’re owed by the airline is dependent on the three factors below:

·         Cause of delay (confirming validity of claim);

·         Delay duration;

·         Distance of the flight.

Factors that determine your claims validity:

Compensation for delays is applicable when the airline is accountable for the inconvenience caused.The most common causes include:

·         Engineering and technical issues with the aircraft;

·         Miscommunication between airline & departing airport;

·         Delays caused by pilots or other cabin crew members;

·         Airline staff strikes.

You will not receive flight compensation for causes such as:

·         Severe weather conditions;

·         Political unrest;

·         Industrial action by the airport staff (not including the airline’s staff);

·         Security alerts or terrorist threats;

·         Delay due to air traffic controller clearance;

·         Technical faults that are outside of ‘routine’ aircraft maintenance.

Submitting a Flight Delay Compensation claim

If your delay was a direct result of the airline, head on over to Flight Claims Online and fill out our online calculator,which takes less than 30 seconds, to see how much flight delay compensation you are entitled to.

Filing a claim with us is quick and easy, and we advise you have the following documents ready to help streamline the process:

• ·        Your flight details;
• ·        Copies of your flight tickets.

Escalating Your Case

Should you choose to approach the airline direct, you may find that they try to dismiss your claim, stating that the delay was caused by something ‘out of their control’. However, Flight Claims Online’s team have a 95% success rate when it comes to retrieving flight delay compensation for people like yourself, even when the airline has previously stated the claim was invalid.

If this happens, we will escalate your claim and follow it up in court, along with covering all the legal fees associated.

Filing a claim with us is quick and easy as we take care of the everything from start to finish. Head on over to our site and start your claim now!