EU Flight Delay Compensation Form

If your flight has been delayed for more than three hours, you will need to fill out and submit an Air Passenger Rights EU Complaints Form to claim compensation. This simple form should be sent to the operating airline (presuming it was an EU airline or an airline operating a flight within an EU country). If passengers do not receive a reply from the operating airline within 6 weeks, or they receive a reply but are not satisfied with it, then a copy of the filled-out form should be sent directly to the relevant national enforcement body for aviation regulations.

The EU flight delay compensation form is an official EU document and should be submitted by the passenger themselves, although AirHelp may submit it on a passenger's behalf. However, it is more effective in most cases if the passenger submits the form personally. The main details required by the claim form are specific flight details (flight number, ticket confirmation number, departure and arrival time, etc.), personal passenger details, and statements declaring that the passenger presented themselves at both the check-in counter and boarding gate on time. It must be signed and dated.

The relevant EU Member State's national enforcement body is means the country of departure for flights within the EU, the country of arrival for flights departing outside the EU but terminating within the EU, or the country where the airline is headquartered if the flight was operated entirely outside the EU, but by an EU airline.

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.

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:

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.

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.