Flight delay
Flight delays can be frustrating, but they don't have to ruin your travel plans. In case your flight was delayed more than 3 hours, you can be eligible for financial compensation between €250 and €600.
Don’t worry if you had a flight issue in the past. You can claim your money up to 3 years back.
Information you will find on this page:
What is flight delay
A flight delay occurs when an airline flight takes off and/or lands later than its scheduled time. A flight is considered delayed when the departure and/or arrival is 15 minutes later than the scheduled time. However, aviation passengers can be eligible for financial compensation only if flight delay is more than 3 hours.
Your rights
Aviation passengers are protected thanks to European Union law according to Regulation 261/2004. Every airline has to display information regarding passenger's rights at check-in counters, and if flight delay occurs, passengers need to be informed of their rights. You can read the full text of the regulation on the official website.
Eligibility to be compensated
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Your flight was delayed at least three hours.
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Flight within the EU (with EU/non-EU airline).
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Flight from inside to outside the EU (with EU/non-EU airline)
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Flight from outside the EU to inside the EU (EU airline only).
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You have not already received compensation for your flight delay from the airline (financial or travel vouchers).
Amount of compensation
The amount of your compensation depends on distance and delay time. Please bear in mind that your compensation is not affected by the ticket price. You can still get compensated up to €600 even if you only paid €20 for the flight ticket.
|
Distance
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3-4 hours
|
More than 3 hours
|
Never arrived
|
|---|---|---|---|
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All flights 1.500 km or less
|
€250
|
€250
|
€250
|
|
Internal EU flights over 1.500 km
|
€400
|
€400
|
€400
|
|
Non-internal EU flights between 1.500 km and 3.500 km
|
€400
|
€400
|
€400
|
|
Non-internal EU flights over 3.500 km
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€300
|
€600
|
€600
|
Additionally, after two hours of flight delay airline must provide you with meals and refreshments for the duration of delay as well as with an access to two telephone calls and emails.
If you need to wait at the airport overnight, accommodation is necessary, the airline must provide you with a hotel room, and transportation to and from the airport free of charge.
Exceptions from being compensated
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Your flight delay was less than three hours.
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You accepted a travel voucher offered by the airline.
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Flight delay happened due to extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances are situations which airline could not prevent, such us security risks, political issues, air traffic restrictions, weather conditions etc.
Losing your rights
When your flight is delayed, your airline may offer you compensation in the form of flight vouchers. Of course, when you're tired and frustrated and someone is offering you a voucher for a new flight, it is difficult to say no. However, by accepting the voucher you're losing your rights to be financially compensated according to Regulation 261/2004.
Essentially, it is your choice as to whether to accept the vouchers or not. However, the data says that 40% of affected passengers are undercompensated due to accepting travel vouchers instead of claiming financial compensation.
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