Flight delays are a nuisance! But we are lucky to have EU 261/2004 that regulates your rights when your flight is delayed. The regulation applies to all flights with departure or landing in the European Union, even if they are operated by an airline headquartered outside the European Union. In this blog entry I want to sum up briefly what you must know if your flight is delayed.
My flight is late! Do I get compensation automatically?
You are eligible for compensation if you have a valid ticket, show up in time for check-in and boarding and if your flight arrives at its destination with a delay of three hours or more. However, if the delay was caused by bad weather or other extraordinary circumstances that are outside the airline’s sphere of influence, you are not entitled to claim compensation.
Is compensation always cash?
If your flight is delayed two hours or more, you are entitled to get food and drinks. For delays of three hours or more you can claim cash compensation from 250 Euro up to 600 Euro, depending on the travel distance. In cases of extreme delays, the airline is obliged to cover costs for transfer and hotel accommodation.
How much compensation does the airline have to pay?
The amount depends on the travel distance. If your flight was within the range of 1,500 kilometres, you may claim 250 Euro. For a flight distance between 1,500 kilometres and 3,500 kilometres you are entitled to 400 Euro and for a distance of more than 3,500 kilometres you can get as much as 600 Euro.
By the way: In the UK, the limitation period for claims is six years.
Take advantage of our service, we will take care of your claim – no hassle for you. If we win – and only if we win – we will get a commission of 29.75 percent (incl. VAT) of your compensation.