Nine years of AirHelp: More than 16 million passengers have been able to enforce their rights with the organization
The world's largest air passenger rights organization celebrates its 9th anniversary
AirHelp offers its support in 16 languages and has already helped passengers from 236 countries to enforce their rights
With a network of more than 30 law firms, AirHelp strengthens air passenger rights around the world
Berlin, January 25, 2022 – On January 25, 2022, AirHelp, the world's largest air passenger rights organization, will celebrate its 9th anniversary. When the company was founded as a start-up in 2013, it originally focused on helping passengers with denied boarding and cancelled and delayed flights who are eligible to claim under European Regulation EC 261. AirHelp now helps passengers around the world – including passengers affected by Brazil's Air Passenger Rights Regulation (ANAC 400), U.K. legislation and the Montreal Convention, an international law protecting passengers who have experienced problems with damaged, missing or delayed baggage.
More than 16 million passengers have been helped in the past nine years
As a global organization, AirHelp offers assistance in 16 different languages. To date, AirHelp has been able to enforce the air passenger rights of more than 16 million passengers. To do so, the organization has invested over the years in data, travel technologies and a network of lawyers specializing in air passenger rights. The organization works with a network of law firms in 30 countries and employs more than 350 people worldwide. By 2022, passengers in 236 countries had been helped, proving that air passenger rights are for everyone.
Many legal disputes won led to sustainable strengthening of air passenger rights
AirHelp's legal expertise has helped strengthen air passenger rights around the world and brought lasting change to the law. Listed below are some of the key cases AirHelp has won in the past that have helped strengthen air passenger rights and hold airlines accountable.
Airline staff strike ruling: in 2019, Scandinavian airline SAS left 370,00 passengers stranded at airports due to a strike by its pilots. In 2021, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in favor of AirHelp and confirmed that all passengers affected by flight staff strikes are entitled to compensation.
Advancing a flight is a cancellation: in December 2021, AirHelp won a case against Laudamotion in which the ECJ ruled that advancing a flight by one hour before the original departure time should be considered a cancellation.
Limitation period in Belgium extended from one to five years: In 2021, AirHelp succeeded in extending the limitation period for making claims.
Non-EU airlines can be sued at the place of departure: In 2021, the Supreme Court in Italy confirmed that the place of departure is always responsible for compensation claims for flight delays, even if it is a non-EU airline. This ensures that everyone:r - including passengers who are not EU citizens:in - is entitled to compensation under EC 261.
Infants are entitled to compensation: In a case won in Denmark, the court ruled that infants are entitled to compensation even if the parents only paid a fee to take the baby on the plane.
Refusal of re-routing: In a case in Sweden, passengers who do not accept re-routing offered by the airline after a cancellation are entitled to compensation even if their ticket has already been refunded.
Flight disruptions with multiple legs: AirHelp won a case in Poland in which a passenger claimed compensation for a flight with multiple legs in which the delay occurred during the second leg. The airline paid only for the second leg and not for the entire route, but thanks to AirHelp's efforts, the court ruled that compensation was due for the entire route.