As an airline passenger, you're entitled to compensation if you've experienced delays or cancellations. People usually struggle to receive their claims. But today, this guide will explain what types of flight delay compensation American Airlines you can receive and how to claim it.
Flight compensation basics
Flight compensation is designed to provide passengers with financial assistance if their flights are delayed, canceled or overbooked. The flight delay compensation regulations in the EU regulates this area of law and has established a set of rules known as Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 or the EU 261 Regulation.
The EU 261 Regs came into effect on March 8th, 2005, which means that all airlines flying in or out of Europe must abide by these rules.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule: if you've booked a flight that departs from and returns to an airport outside Europe, then such compensation isn't payable. So you need to get your money back if your flight is delayed due to bad weather conditions or strikes outside Europe (i.e., anywhere but America).
What's an airline's responsibility?
Flight delays and cancellations are significant causes of frustration for travelers. If you're stuck in a long queue at the airport, chances are your flight is delayed or canceled. Thankfully, airlines are responsible for any such disruptions, so they should compensate you if your flight is subject to either of these events.
The type and amount of compensation will depend on what caused your disruption:
- Delays: Airlines must pay passengers 400 euros if their delay is 1-2 hours long; 600 euros if it is 2-3 hours; 800 euros if it is 3-4 hours; 1,200 euros if it is 4-5 hours long; 400 euros per person with each additional hour of delay beyond 5 hours (maximum: 8).
- Cancellation: Passengers who were already at an airport when they learned their flight had been canceled can claim up to 600 euros per person, depending on how much notice they received before departure time. More than three days means no payout at all, and whether they made alternative arrangements themselves or could take another airline's flight within two weeks after the cancellation date.
What can affect your flight delay claims?
If you're wondering what can affect your flight compensation claims, a good place to start is with the five leading causes of delays:
- Weather: Sudden weather changes can lead to problems for pilots, who must make the safest choice concerning visibility and wind conditions. This could result in a delay or cancellation.
- Air traffic control: Air traffic controllers monitor airport traffic 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. If an unexpected event occurs, they sometimes have to reroute aircraft away from busy airspace, so they don't interfere with one another's flight paths.
- Mechanical issues: Planes are designed for long-haul flights without needing maintenance work done whilst airborne. Sometimes things break down unexpectedly during travel, so airlines need time before fixing them.
How long does it take to get compensation for a delayed flight?
The time it takes to get your compensation depends on the airline, how long you were delayed and how much compensation you are claiming. The average time it takes is 2-3 weeks. You can seek help from flight delay compensation United to process things fast.
How much can you claim for a delayed flight?
If you've ever been on a delayed flight and want to claim compensation, there are a few things you need to know.
- How much can you claim? The basic rule is that claims are limited to €600 per person. Claims also aren't limited by the ticket price or the value of the flight itself—they have to be related to how it was delayed.
- What counts as a delay? Any time your plane was late or canceled for reasons beyond its control counts. These include bad weather, strikes by air traffic controllers, technical problems with planes and crew shortages due to staff call-offs.
How to claim compensation for a delayed or canceled flight?
You're entitled to compensation if your flight has been delayed or canceled. In fact, you are eligible for compensation in case of denied boarding as well.
To make a claim, you'll need to fill out a form that explains why the airline was at fault. You can get this form from the airline or on their website. Make sure you keep copies of everything—your boarding pass and ticket- and receipts for any expenses incurred due to their delay.
As soon as possible after submitting your claim, write down what happened and keep it somewhere safe in case there's any dispute about who was responsible for the delay or cancellation. If you wait to do this immediately after making your claim and then need it later on when things get complicated, it could become easier to remember all the details accurately enough for them to be helpful.
The process of claiming compensation for a delayed flight is straightforward. You must fill out a form online, send it to the airline with your boarding pass, and wait for your compensation. In most cases, you will receive your money within one month. So you must ensure all information on this form is correct so that everything runs smoothly in processing your claim!