EC 261 Compensation
The European Union established a regulation known as EC 261/2004 to protect passengers' rights in case of any inconvenience during air travel. It states that passengers are entitled to financial compensation from the airline if they are affected by long flight delays, short-notice cancellations, or are denied boarding. If you have been affected by one of these, you may be able to claim compensation thanks to EC 261/2004.
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Information about the EC 261 compensation
Passengers who have experienced a disruption to their flight can claim EC 261 compensation from the airline of the specific flight. To be eligible, the flight must have departed from the EU with any airline or landed in the EU while being operated by a European airline. According to the regulation EC 261/2004, airlines will be held financially accountable for flight delays that lasted longer than three hours, for cancellations with less than 14 days notice given, and for denying boarding to a passenger with a valid plane ticket.
However, these regulations may not apply in extraordinary circumstances such as an extreme change of weather, an unruly passenger, an act of terrorism, or an air traffic/airport strike. If your situation fits the criteria above, you may be able to claim up to $650 or a full or partial refund of your original ticket.
AirHelp is here to help you get compensation for flight delays and cancellations. Find out what you could be entitled to.
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About AirHelp
AirHelp is the world's largest air passenger rights organization, here to help air travelers secure compensation for delayed, canceled, or overbooked flights.
We make claiming compensation easy and stress-free. Whether you are unsure of your rights, lack the time, or simply want an expert to handle your entire claim for you, AirHelp can help you get what you are rightfully owed.
We operate on a no win, no fee basis, so you can check your compensation risk-free.
Claiming Compensation for Flight Delays and Cancellations
How do you know when you should claim compensation for a delayed or canceled flight? Though the law can be complicated, we're here to break it down for you:
Delayed flights: you may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrived 3 hours or more late.
Canceled flights: you may be eligible for compensation if your flight was canceled less than 14 days before it was due to depart.
Overbookings: you are owed compensation any time you are denied boarding through no fault of your own — so long as you didn't voluntarily give up your seat.
We should note that if extraordinary circumstances were involved, arirlines are under no obligation to pay compensation. Examples of extraordinary circumstances include bad weather, travel restrictions, and air traffic control strikes. Though these situations cause delays and cancellations, the airline isn't at fault, so can't be expected to offer compensation.
Remember these are European flight regulations and so only apply to flights departing from an EU airport, or flights landing in the EU with a European airline. The table below makes it clear which flights are covered:
Claim up to $650 in compensation if your flight has been delayed, canceled, or overbooked within the last 3 years.
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How Much Flight Compensation?
Distance | Compensation |
---|---|
All flights under 1,500 km | Up to $270 per person |
Internal EU flights over 1,500 km | Up to $430 per person |
Non-internal EU flights between 1,500 - 3,500 km | Up to $430 per person |
Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km | Up to €600 per person |
Table shows values in € as specified in EC 261
In some circumstances the compensation amount may differ from the standard amounts shown above. The easiest way to find out what you’re owed is to use our Compensation Calculator.
What to Do if Your Flight is Delayed or Canceled
If you experience a flight delay or cancellation, here's what you should do:
Hold onto your boarding pass and other travel documents.
Ask why the flight was delayed or canceled.
Request food, drinks, and if necessary, free transport and hotel accommodation.
If you had a canceled flight, ask for an alternative flight or a refund.
Keep all receipts of any extra expenses you may have had, including necessary food, clothing, etc.
Be careful not to sign any waivers or accept vouchers that will require you to waive your right to compensation.
Recent delays and cancellations
Date | Flight number | Airline | Route | Status | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11/10/2024 | 1:15 AM | FT9910 | Flyegypt | Luxor (LXR) Sharm el Sheikh (SSH) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:10 AM | IX2811 | Air India Express | Surat (STV) Hyderabad (HYD) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:10 AM | IX2811 | Air India Express | Surat (STV) Hyderabad (HYD) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:05 AM | CX662 | Cathay Pacific Airways | Dhaka (DAC) Hong Kong (HKG) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:05 AM | 6E1417 | IndiGo Air | Abu Dhabi (AUH) Chandigarh (IXC) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:05 AM | CX662 | Cathay Pacific Airways | Dhaka (DAC) Hong Kong (HKG) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:00 AM | TK2190 | Anadolujet | Istanbul (IST) Ankara (ESB) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:00 AM | TK2190 | Anadolujet | Istanbul (IST) Ankara (ESB) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:00 AM | A3928 | Aegean Airlines | Athens (ATH) Tel Aviv-Yafo (TLV) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
11/10/2024 | 1:00 AM | AI1859 | Air India | Mumbai (BOM) New Delhi (DEL) | Canceled | Check Compensation |
- Canceled
FT9910
•Flyegypt
Luxor
••Sharm el Sheikh
LXR
SSH
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:15 AM
- Canceled
IX2811
•Air India Express
Surat
••Hyderabad
STV
HYD
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:10 AM
- Canceled
IX2811
•Air India Express
Surat
••Hyderabad
STV
HYD
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:10 AM
- Canceled
CX662
•Cathay Pacific Airways
Dhaka
••Hong Kong
DAC
HKG
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:05 AM
- Canceled
6E1417
•IndiGo Air
Abu Dhabi
••Chandigarh
AUH
IXC
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:05 AM
- Canceled
CX662
•Cathay Pacific Airways
Dhaka
••Hong Kong
DAC
HKG
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:05 AM
- Canceled
TK2190
•Anadolujet
Istanbul
••Ankara
IST
ESB
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:00 AM
- Canceled
TK2190
•Anadolujet
Istanbul
••Ankara
IST
ESB
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:00 AM
- Canceled
A3928
•Aegean Airlines
Athens
••Tel Aviv-Yafo
ATH
TLV
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:00 AM
- Canceled
AI1859
•Air India
Mumbai
••New Delhi
BOM
DEL
Check Compensation11/10/2024
1:00 AM
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