Delayed Flight?
- Flight delayed by 3 or more hours?
- Flown within the last 6 years?
- Claim over £500 per passenger
- Simple 60sec online claims procedure
Claim Over £500 >>
"Let one of our expert flight claim solicitors handle your flight delay claim and take away all the stress."
Flight Delay Compensation
Whether you’re flying for business or for pleasure, delays in your travel plans can be costly in more ways than one. You could be eligible for flight delay compensation to help you offset unexpected expenses that may arise as a result.
We can help you to receive the compensation you deserve for delays to your schedule, and it's as simple as providing us with some basic details.
Simply complete our online form to see how much you can claim.
Table of contents
Overbooking by Airlines
Airlines intentionally overbook flights because they are counting on a certain number of cancellations. When those cancellations do not occur, it leaves them with no choice but to bump certain passengers. If you are one of the unfortunate individuals who are bumped, you could ultimately wind up waiting several hours for the next flight out. When bumped from a non-stop flight, your arrival could easily be delayed by a day or more if the flight you are put on happens to have one or more stops.
There are other reasons why your flight may be delayed, including:
- Faulty equipment that must be grounded due to safety concerns
- Unavailability of pilot, co-pilot, or flight personnel
- Being wrongly placed on a “no fly” list when travelling to or from the U.S.
Just because your flight leaves on time does not mean you are not subject to a delay. Many times, flights are re-routed to another airport after takeoff, leaving passengers scrambling to reach their correct destination. This most often happens due to sudden changes in the weather or equipment malfunctions that force an emergency landing. Security concerns at certain airports can also force air traffic controllers to reroute aeroplanes.
Flight Delay Refunds
Recognizing the hardships a delayed flight might cause, EU Rule 261/2004 was enacted to ensure that travelers were fairly compensated. This law now makes it possible for you to file delayed flight claims if your flight was cancelled or delayed for reasons beyond your control. To be eligible, you must have experienced a flight delay of three hours or more during the past six years. Your flight must also:
- Have been scheduled to leave from an airport within the EU or
- Arrive at a European Union airport on an approved EU carrier
- Be cancelled or delayed due to an issue with the airline and not due to negligence on your part
You could be eligible for up to £500 per incident, depending on the length of your flight.
How to Claim Flight Delay Compensation
- First, make a note of the date of your delayed flight (within the last 6 years).
- Next, Identify the airline on which you travelled and the flight number if known (it's not necessary).
- Then, compile personal details of everyone that travelled with you during the delay (must be paid seats).
- Finally, decide if you would like to pursue the claim direct through the airline or via a claim solicitor.
To claim your delayed flight compensation, you must generally consult with the airline where travel was delayed. This is often a very lengthy and cumbersome process, particularly if there are several other passengers who also need to make claims.
Another way to obtain a delayed flight refund is to use our free service to assist you in filing your claim. All it takes is just a few minutes of your time to fill out the form you see at the top of the page. We’ll take care of haggling with the airline companies so that all you will have to do is collect your cheque.
We’ve successfully earned refunds for hundreds of customers, and do not earn anything unless your flight delay claims are approved.
More Flight Delay Claim Information
Looking for more delayed flight claim information? Click below:
So what are extraordinary circumstances?
Despite the regulation 261/2004 in place to protect the rights of airline passengers and entitling them to compensation in the event of a delay there are certain circumstances which will make a claim invalid. The term 'extraordinary circumstances' is applicable to situations which result in a delay of a fight caused by something beyond the airlines control. Here are some examples of extraordinary circumstances:
- Industrial action such as strikes by ground staff (baggage handlers etc.) and/or air traffic controllers.
- Acts of terrorism or sabotage
- Adverse weather such as heavy rain, snow storms, volcanic ash cloud etc.
- Political circumstances including terrorist attacks, civil unrest and security risks
- Security risks
- Illness of a member of crew or passenger
- Hidden manufacturing defects
- Delays caused directly by the airport staff (non airline staff) such as lengthy queues or delays at security
If you believe your delay was as a direct result of one of these reasons then you might not be entitled to claim for compensation. In these cases it is still worth getting in touch so we can discover the true cause of the delay and determine whether you have a case to pursue.
Your Flight Delay Questions Answered
We realise there might be a number of questions you would like answers to before you start your claim for delayed flight compensation so have answered some of the more common questions below. To speak to an expert and get an instant decision as to whether you have a valid claim then simply apply online with our short form at the top of this page.
What is EU 261/2004? Does it Apply?
The European Commission Regulation 261/2004 is a law based around flight delay compensation claims. It went into effect on 17/02/2005 when it became binding in every EU Member State. It outlines common rules on the exact entitlements of airline passengers who experience a delay in their chosen flight. It is also applicable to airline passengers who have their flights cancelled, are denied boarding or have their seat downgraded. It's introduction was to provide adequate compensation for passengers inconvenienced by delayed flights outside of their control.
All claims are made in accordance this regulation. You can download EU 261/2004 for reference, or find out more about EU261/2004 on the Wikipedia page.
More Flight Delay Websites
If you have any questions or queries as to whether your delayed flight entitles you to compensation then all you have to do is get in touch today! If however you would like to read more about your rights, further FAQs and advice from additional websites then we have compiled a few useful flight compensation resources below:
- Which? Consumer Rights Flight Delay Information - Flight claim information from the respected Which website.
- Citizens Advice on Delayed Flights - Official information from the Citizens Advice website on delayed flights.
- Money Saving Expert Claim Advice - Martin Lewis explains more about claiming for delayed flights.
If you have been inconvenienced by a delayed flight which resulted in you being late on arrival then why not get in touch today, you could receive compensation to make up for the disruption to your schedule.
Example Flight Delay Claims
| Date | Reason | Flight No. | Passengers | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Aug | Flight Delayed | TOMXXXXX | 2 | Yes |
| 25 Aug | Flight Delayed | TCXXXXXX | 1 | Yes |
| 25 Aug | Flight Delayed | VIRXXXXX | 1 | Yes |
| 25 Aug | Flight Delayed | BAWXXXXX | 2 | Yes |
| 25 Aug | Flight Delayed | EZYXXXXX | 2 | Yes |