Flight delay compensation, claim up to €600 in cash

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Flight Delay Compensation Strategy

When travelling, we became part of the mass of people who are enjoying the excitement and sometimes the stress of travelling. A certain percentage of this mass is going to experience some difficulties which may trigger flight delay compensation. It may not be you now, however it’s a numbers game and if you travel a lot, then at some point it will be you. Accept the fact when travelling you will experience some unexpected and unforeseen problems. Being prepared to deal with flight delays, flight cancellations, lost luggage, etc should help with remove anxiety and stress associated with unexpected travel issues

The one thing should do when flights are delayed, cancelled, bags are delayed or lost, is to realize that no amount of stress and sheer will on your part is going to change the situation that you are in. You want to move from a stressed, aggravated, anxious or angry mode to one of accepting and figuring out how to move forward. The quicker you do this the smoother your travel will be

Below we will outline what can happen and what you yourself can do about it. We will also inform you about Compensair, an organization that can make the claims for cash compensation on your behalf

Flight Delay, Flight Cancellation for EU Flights that are:

  • Departures and arrivals both within the EU
  • Arrives in the EU from outside EU, however operated by an EU airline
  • Departs from the EU

Flight Delay, Flight Cancellation, Extraordinary Circumstances

Extraordinary circumstances such as political instability, adverse weather conditions, and security risks are not subject to compensation. However technical problems are not considered extraordinary circumstances and are subject to compensation

Prepare for the unexpected; 5 Compensation Events

Any one of the five events below will trigger compensation such as reimbursement of ticket, return to departure airport, assistance in the form of food vouchers or accommodation, and cash compensation for inconvenience

1. Flight Cancellation Compensation – Options

  1. Reimbursement of ticket or reroute AND
    • Reimbursement of ticket or reroute and return to departure airport, re-routing to final destination as soon as possible or re-routing to final destination at a later date (choose one of the options).
      Most likely you will work directly with the airline for changes
  2. Assistance AND
    • Type of assistance depends on when you were informed (ie: less than 7 days before departure), distance to be travelled (minimum 1,500km) and length of delay (min 2 hours)
    • Most likely you will work directly with the airline for assistance such as food vouchers or overnight accommodation and transportation to accommodation
  3. Cash Compensation
    • Amount varies from €250 to €600 depending on when you were informed and distance to be travelled, if it was considered an EU flight. Click HERE to check your eligibility for cash compensation
    • You will have to contact the airlines head office and go through the complaint process to obtain the cash compensation you are entitled to or Click HERE to check your eligibility for flight cancellation compensation in the form of cash. you should fill out the form to obtain any cash entitlement
  4. Please note that you could be entitled to all three compensation options for flight cancellation: (a) Reimbursement, (b) Assistance and (c) Cash Compensation. Most people obtain (a) and (b) and do not pursue cash compensation because they are not aware of their rights to cash compensation for flight cancellations or give up on the airlines after emails back and forth

2. Flight Delay Compensation – Options

  1. Reimbursement of ticket and a return flight to departure airport AND
  2. Assistance AND
  3. Cash Compensation (if flight delayed more than 3 hours) unless extraordinary circumstances
    • Flight delays of more than 5 hours – you will have the choice of stay and wait for next available flight or request a refund for your ticket and cash compensation
    • Click HERE to check your eligibility for flight delay compensation in the form of cash
  4. as mentioned above in flight cancellation options, you could be entitled to all three compensation options for flight delay compensation as well: (a) Reimbursement, (b) Assistance and (c) Cash Compensation.

3. Denied Boarding due to Overbooking

  1. Reimbursement of ticket and return to departure airport, re-routing to final destination as soon as possible or re-routing to final destination at a later date (choose one of the options) AND
  2. Assistance AND
  3. Cash Compensation, Click HERE to check your eligibility for cash compensation

4. Downgraded

Reimbursement for the downgraded flight. Available for the portion of flight affected if making connections

  • 30% for flights 1500km or less
  • 50% for flights 1500km – 3500Km within EU
  • 75% for flights greater than 3500km

5. Lost, damaged or delayed luggage

  • If your bag does not arrive at your destination, go to the airline customer relations counter at the luggage area and present your baggage tag. They will fill in a form to track your bags and a way to communicate with you for baggage delivery once it arrives. Get detailed info of form you filled in, reference number, file number and/or claim number.
  • Get a contact number for the customer relations lost baggage at your destination – not the general number but the local number and also name of individual 
  • Let local baggage claim desk know where you are. Keep in touch. You do not have to return to the airport. They should deliver it to wherever you are
  • Keep luggage tags, boarding pass, claim form, and documentation from local airline baggage service counter
  • Document what you did to facilitate the reunion with your bag
  • Go shopping and purchase reasonably priced items. Amount allowable will depend on whether baggage is lost or delayed and if delayed whether it’s delayed for under or over 24 hours

Flight Delay Compensation and Flight Cancellation Details

There are four types of compensation available; options 2, 3 and 4 below. Address options 2, 3 and 4 directly with the local airline customer service agent.

Option 1, Cash Compensation, will need to be addressed separately thorough the airlines complaint process. Most people are not aware of the cash compensation piece and do not claim what is entitled to them. 

Option 1, Cash Compensation claim can be made as far back as 6 years. To claim this CLICK  HERE for eligibility. Fill out the online form with Compensair to receive any cash compensation entitled to you

1. Cash Compensation, up to €600 for inconvenience

From €250 – €600 depending on distance to be travelled and when you were informed of the delay.

  • Delays informed up to 7 days before departure with an arrival delay of less than 2 hours will not be compensated
  • Delays informed up to 7 days before departure with an arrival delay of 2-4 hours, cash compensation may be reduced by 50% 
  • Delays at arrival destination of more than 3 hours causing a missed connection are subject to cash compensation
  • Airline customer service desk will not help or discuss Cash Compensation
  • Fill in the compensation form HERE, and Compensair will calculate eligibility, amount and quick submission to airlines to obtain cash compensation for you. No receipts or explanations required 
  • If eligible, you will receive a cash lump sum minus 25%
  • Cash compensation is available as far back as 6 years; it is the most underutilized compensation option as most travelers are satisfied with the other options available and do not pursue cash compensation in addition to other compensation. The majority of travelers are not aware that they are entitled to additional CASH compensation. Cash compensation is one of the hardest compensation to get from the airlines
  • Or you can submit directly to the airlines using their online complaint process

2. Reimbursement, return to departure airport or re-routing (Choose one of the options)

  • Choice of:
    1. Reimbursement of ticket plus return to departure airport
    2. Re-routing to final destination at earliest opportunity
    3. Re-routing to final destination at your convenience (later date)
  • Choose one of the above options, once chosen the other two are no longer available
  • Work with the airline customer service on re-routing to get to your final destination. If you accept re-routing, this is not considered a flight cancellation anymore as it will fall under flight delay  and not a cancellation and additional Assistance or Cash Compensation is based on flight delay not flight cancellation
  • If the above re-routing option does not work;
    • ask for reimbursement of ticket and
    • return to departure airport and
    • onsite assistance such as food vouchers or overnight accommodation if flight to departure airport is the next day. They will also provide transport to and from eligible accommodation
    • if a new ticket to the destination is purchased elsewhere the original airline may reimburse you the difference between the original ticket and the new ticket in addition to other compensation options discussed
    • in addition you are entitled to Cash Compensation (option 1 above)

3. Assistance

Assistance includes meals, accommodation (for overnight delays), transportation to accommodation and free telephone calls, email or faxes

  • Assistance depends on length of delay and distance of your flight. It generally starts at flight delay of 2 hours or more and distance travelled of 1,500 km or more
  • Work with the airline customer service onsite for vouchers for food, accommodation or transportation to accommodation
  • Documentation and an explanation ie: 4 hour delay no food vouches offered
  • If “Assistance” is not available through the airline customer service onsite – keep your receipts
    • Receipts for monies you spent on items for reasonable accommodation, transportation to accommodation, food, etc in the event assistance was not available from the airline customer service. Keep a log if airline customer service denies “Assistance”. Assistance must be reasonable and must be something not offered as a voucher by airline. You cannot turn down their food voucher then submit a claim for a meal

4. Lost/damaged/delayed luggage

  • Fill out the compensation forms online directly with the airlines. For delayed luggage, submit receipts for reasonable and appropriate reimbursement.
  • Compensation to max of €1300 for lost luggage; fill in a complaint filed with airline within 7 days

What to do when flight cancelled, delayed or you are denied boarding

  • Communicate with the airline directly on choices for reimbursement of ticket and return to departure airport or rerouting
  • Talk directly to airline, Ask for assistance; food vouchers, accommodation
  • For cash compensation, you will need to address this at a later date with either a direct claim to the airlines or click HERE for no hassle reimbursement with Compensair
  • For extraordinary expenses
  • Missing a wedding or rerouting at a high cost to make the wedding; keep documentation for possible reimbursement. Fill in form with airline directly

Tips:

  • Keep your luggage tags, ticket for the ticket number, e-ticket, boarding passes (if you have one)
  • For delayed luggage, keep receipts of items purchased until bags arrive. Purchases should be reasonable and appropriate
  • Receipts used for expenses related to delays, cancellations, etc
  • Make a note of your inconvenience ie: no hotels nearby so had to travel 50 km for first available hotel room
  • A quick log of conversation or log of events as it’s easy to forget the sequence and timeline of events

Claim Your Compensation:

  1. For Cash Compensation:
    1. check your entitlement and let Compensair handle the claim or contact the airline directly
  2. Complain to the airline directly
  3. Complain to the national authority 
  4. Contact your EU Complaint Form body       

To check and  apply for cash compensation:

Click HERE for no hassle reimbursement with Compensair

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