How To Get Compensation For Delayed Flights? Flight delays happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. You may be entitled to as much as €600 in compensation if your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked within the last three years.

If you are departing from an EU airport on any airline, or arriving at an EU airport on an EU carrier (this includes Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) you are entitled to care and compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 for a delayed arrival time of more than two hours. The airline must provide food and drink appropriate to the time of day (this is often in the form of a voucher) and a means of communicating your delay or a refund of the cost of essential calls.

If your flight is canceled

You are entitled to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled. The amounts stipulated are:

• 250 EUR, flight distance up to 1500 km;
• 400 EUR, any flight within the EU over 1500 km or any other flight between 1500 – 3500 km
• 600 EUR, for all other flights (long haul)

Compensation is reduced by 50% if the airline gives you the option of re-routing your flights and the ultimate arrival time of the re-routed flights would be within two hours of your originally scheduled arrival time for short-haul flights, within three hours for medium haul flights, and within four hours for long haul flights.

Compensation can be paid by cash, bank transfer or cheque. Only if the passenger agrees can it be paid in travel vouchers or other services.

If Your flight is delayed

Depending on the distance of your flight and the length, and reason for, your delay you could also be entitled to claim compensation.

• at least 2 hours for a flight of 1500 km or less
• 3 hours or more for all flights within the EU exceeding 1500 km
• 3 hours for all other flights between 1500 km and 3500 km
• more than 4 hours for all other flights

Such a delay will give you an automatic right to meals/refreshments and telephone calls. If a delay means your departure isn’t until the following day, then you may be entitled to hotel accommodation.

You can claim compensation if the delay means you arrive at your destination more than 3 hours later than the original scheduled arrival time.  The compensation to which you are entitled will range from between €250 and €600, depending on the length of your flight and the length of the delay.

Detailed information about Air Passenger Rights you can read HERE. The European Commission has launched also an app for passengers travelling in the EU. The application covers your rights for all modes of transport, and is available on the following platforms – Apple iPhone and iPad, Google Android, RIM Blackberry and Microsoft Windows Phone.

Download the app HERE

There are also many services, for example, ClaimAir, which will take care of all the paperwork and communication with the airlines. If they refuse to pay, they will even take them to court for you. Usually there is apr. 25% administration fee for this service.