Flight Delayed? Get Paid!

If you've been on a delayed or cancelled flight or been denied boarding on a flight to, from or within the European Union, within the last three years you could be entitled up to $650 from the airline. Click here to find out how.

If you are denied boarding, your flight is cancelled or arrives more than 3 hours late on arrival at the final destination stated on your ticket, you may be entitled to compensation of EUR 250 - 600, depending on the distance of the flight:

Within the EU

1,500 km or less - EUR 250
over 1,500 km - EUR 400

Between EU airport and non-EU airport

1,500 km or less - EUR 250
1,500 - 3,500 km - EUR 400
over 3,500 km - EUR 600

If the carrier offered you an alternative flight with a similar schedule, the compensation may be reduced by 50%.

With cancelled flights, you won't receive compensation if:

the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances for example due to bad weather, or
you were informed 2 weeks before the scheduled flight date, or
you were offered an alternative for the same route with a similar schedule to the original one.

EC261

EC Regulation 261 (EC 261) is a law on air passenger rights that all EU member states must abide by. EC 261 states that air passengers must be financially compensated if their flight is canceled or overbooked (unless the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control). Additionally, the EU's Court of Justice (EUCJ) ruled in 2012 that passengers whose flight arrives three hours late or more are also entitled to financial compensation (unless the delay is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control).

The main objective of the ruling was to improve passenger protection rights across Europe and to harmonize the law among EU member states. Since this law was implemented in 2005, there have been many breakthrough judgements against airlines in the EUCJ, dramatically changing the landscape of air passenger rights.

When does the law apply?

The law on air passenger rights can be confusing and, at times, seem contradictory. That's what makes it difficult to understand when you're entitled to compensation and what compensation you're entitled to (with no help from airlines, who are legally obligated to inform you of these rights but often fail to do so comprehensively). The result? Less than 1% of eligible air passengers receive the compensation that is rightfully theirs!

Because of this confusion, it bears repeating that you may be eligible for financial compensation if your flight is overbooked, canceled, or delayed by more than three hours (unless the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control).