Flight delay compensation is available for air passengers in the EU and the UK. If you have ever experienced delays while travelling, you must know how upsetting it is. In this article, we will explain what the compensation is about and how you can get compensated for a delayed UK flight.
What is Flight Compensation About?
The flight compensation regulation is also known as the EU 261 regulation passed in 2004 to protect the rights of air passengers. If your flight has been delayed, you may be entitled to compensation under this law.
The eligibility criteria include:
- The flight is taking off from an EU or UK airport or landing in one, provided that the airline is headquartered in the UK or an EU member state.
- You arrived at your destination three or more hours later than you should have.
- The airline is fully responsible for the delay and could have prevented it from happening.
- You checked in for the flight at least 45 minutes before departure.
Your rights under the EC 261 law include the following:
- Compensation is between €250-600, based on the flight distance. While a short-distance flight would attract €250, a medium-distance flight attracts €400, and a long-distance flight, €600.
- You are entitled to free meals and drinks for a delay longer than two hours.
- For a delay that lasts through the night, you are entitled to free hotel accommodation.
- For a delay longer than 5 hours, you may request a seat on another flight or reschedule your flight to a later date at no additional cost. You can also request a full refund.
How Can I Claim this Compensation?
To claim compensation for a delayed flight, you need to have all your documents intact. This includes your booking ticket, boarding pass, baggage pass, vouchers, parking tickets, and receipts. You also need to have a written statement from the airline confirming the cause for the delay, which must not be due to extraordinary circumstances, in which case you won’t get compensated.
While you wait at the airport, you can exercise your rights to care by helping yourself to free meals and drinks. If it’s an overnight delay, help yourself with the free hotel booking.
After you have arrived at your destination, you can start working on claiming compensation. Contact the airline directly or fill out a compensation form on their website if available. You can also get an attorney or a company for a more seamless process.
What Else Should I Know About the Flight Compensation Regulation?
Beyond helping you get compensation for your flight delays, the EU 261 regulation also protects your rights if you experience other flight disruptions. This includes flight cancellations, missed connecting flights, and denied boarding. If your flight ever gets disrupted due to a reason within the airline’s control, this law covers you.
Bottom Line
Flight delays are quite common, and many people in the UK are not aware that they could be compensated for that. Now that you know your rights, you can claim compensation for all those delayed flights that messed with your itinerary. You can do this retrospectively for a flight operated in the last six years.
