Have you experienced a delayed or cancelled flight? You are hardly alone! Minor delays are to be expected, but when the hours drag on, it's no fun. We've experienced delays several times, but still haven't gotten around to claiming compensation. That has to change!
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Being affected by a delayed or cancelled flight
How annoying is it to have a delayed or cancelled flight? At best, you spend a few uncomfortable and tiring hours in an airport. At worst, you might miss that conference or wedding you were going to, and how fun is that?
Delays we experienced ...
Once we were delayed from Nairobi, so we missed our plane in Dubai. It was a long journey home. I (Helena) have also waited 14 hours for a flight from Tenerife to Stockholm, and you can have more fun than that. This winter we were delayed several hours on our return from Sri Lanka. But did we apply for compensation? No, we have been so bad on this. Improvement!
Delayed or cancelled flights - what can you do?
If you are affected by a delayed or cancelled flight, you can submit a claim for compensation. You can either handle the process yourself or hire a company to help you. Whichever option you choose, it's good to know some things in advance.
Am I entitled to compensation?
Whether or not you are entitled to compensation depends on a number of factors. For example, the length of the delay and the reason for it. On the European Consumer Centre you will find information on your rights in case of a delayed or cancelled flight. There are two types of compensation you can get: compensation and damages.
- Compensation is given for flight delays of more than 3 hours and when your flight is cancelled. Compensation can range from €250 to €600 depending on the length of the flight and whether it is within or outside the EU.
- Damages means that you may be entitled to compensation for costs incurred due to the delayed or cancelled flight, such as food expenses, missed hotel nights or loss of earnings (must be proved by a certificate from your employer). The maximum amount you can receive is the equivalent of around €54,000.
Please note that the above not applies in case of "extraordinary circumstances", such as political instability, severe weather conditions, strikes or unforeseen flight safety issues. Also, if your flight is cancelled and rebooked, you may not be entitled to compensation (it depends on when you were notified and how much the travel time differs).
Recording times and saving documents
If you think you are entitled to reimbursement, you must have documentation to prove it. Make sure to note times and save documents!
- Note the times - Collect all the facts related to the disruption. Write down the exact times of the delay and take a photo of the board showing the delay or cancellation.
- Saving documents - Make sure to save all documents related to the delay or cancellation, such as airline tickets and boarding passes.
Right to food and drink
Another good thing to know is that you may be entitled to free food and drink in case of delays. You are entitled to food and drink if the delay is:
- At least 2 hours (for flights shorter than 1500 km)
- At least 3 hours (for longer flights within the EU and other flights between 1500 and 3500 km).
- At least 4 hours (for flights longer than 3500 km and outside the EU)
How to claim compensation for a delayed flight
It is perfectly possible to claim compensation yourself and pursue the process against the airline that caused the delay or cancellation. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, this may be the best option, but it is also good to be aware that it can be differently easy and difficult to get your claims through with different airlines.
As we haven't received a single claim for compensation so far, despite being delayed several times, we could consider using a company to manage the process. These companies, such as Airhelp, take 25 per cent of any compensation. On their website, you can read about how to claim for example compensation for delayed flights with SAS. If it turns out that you are not entitled to any compensation, it will not cost you anything.
Have you received compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight?
Have you ever managed to get compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight, or are you like us who miss the opportunity?
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Ama de casa says:
I have received compensation for delays on a few occasions (all the times I have applied for compensation I have received it). The last time we were affected by a cancelled flight, I did not apply for compensation, I did not have the courage to do so as the cancelled flight meant that we came home earlier than we would have done otherwise. 🙂
Then I find it a bit strange that there is so much talk about compensation for delayed/cancelled flights (in general, that is, in connection with the SAS strike it is of course very topical). What applies when it comes to delayed/cancelled trains? You don't hear much about that... 🙂 🙂
08 May 2019 - 9:15
Helena says:
It sounds good that you managed to get compensation! 🙂 But I agree with you about the trains, maybe we should write about that as well? 😉
08 May 2019 - 18:36
Ditte says:
The few times we were delayed, we received good compensation on the spot. It has also been easy to get compensation from the airlines afterwards for delays. Have sent a form in the cases where this happened and quickly had the money in the account. We also have a good extended travel insurance as a complement and it has in a couple of cases stepped in and provided compensation in addition to the one we received from the airlines.
08 May 2019 - 10:28
Helena says:
That sounds good! Good extra travel insurance is of course also good, but they usually cost a lot too.
08 May 2019 - 18:37
Goatfish says:
No, you are bad at requesting compensation for delays. Feels like, well, embarrassment.
But I have done it. And got out. Not that much, but still. And it's on a train, with several changes, which made it hopelessly difficult to get home. Then there's a lot of work involved in filling in all the figures and details, so you might be reluctant to do this.
08 May 2019 - 16:02
Helena says:
Good for you! It must surely be worth it, I don't know what to blame ... must be better! 😉
08 May 2019 - 21:04
Husis blog says:
My male owner and his nephew received flight delay compensation a couple of years ago. Was very easy to apply (once you knew you could apply). He got a few questions from the airline and it was just a matter of answering in return so paying 25% for this he would not do. You can read about how to apply yourself, so better to get this money yourself, can go to the next trip.
08 May 2019 - 19:42
Helena says:
Nice to hear that it was so easy and that it went so well! Guess it is different with different airlines how to do it. But if you feel that you can fix it yourself, you can of course do it! We ourselves have not managed to get it to happen ...
08 May 2019 - 21:05
BP says:
We have experienced delays twice from Miami to Stockholm and from Tenerife to Stockholm. We did not apply for compensation, but we thought we were more than well compensated anyway. I mean instead of many hours in economy class we got to fly 1st class with world food and drink and wide leather seats. It was PanAm that offered. No wonder the company no longer exists. In Tenerife, we were accommodated in a five-star hotel and offered food and drink ...
08 May 2019 - 20:27
Helena says:
It sounds like the airline organised it nicely for you! Once when we were delayed in China, they organised a hotel (even though it was during the day) and bussed us there. Terrible experience! The hotel was freezing cold and there was NOTHING to do. We couldn't wait to get back to the airport, haha 😉.
08 May 2019 - 21:07
Mr Frank Olsen says:
When we were in Tanzania in 2012, our flight was overbooked when we were travelling back home. We were travelling from Dar es Salaam to Stavanger via Amsterdam, with KLM.
We were then sent via Istanbul to Oslo with Turkish, and from Oslo to Stavanger with SAS. We arrived 5-6 hours later than originally scheduled.
For this we were given a choice between 600 Euro in cash or 800 Euro in travel vouchers, per person. My wife and her daughter chose cash, my daughter Katrin and I chose travel vouchers. My travel voucher then took my wife Janne and me to Venice and back home again later that year 🙂.
I must also add that both Katrin and I received thousands of bonus points in Star Alliance after the trip with Turkish/SAS, which were full price tickets.
In addition, we also got the bonus points we should have from KLM on the flight we should have been on 🙂 .
So a little delay can actually pay off very well!
08 May 2019 - 22:50
Reiselinda says:
I had a year a few years ago when no colleagues wanted to travel with me because there were always delays and problems, at that time I did not apply for any compensation. However, I received compensation once when I and a colleague volunteered to be rebooked to another plane that would arrive home 10 minutes later. The original plane was overbooked. Privately, there have only been minor delays until now March when we got an extra night at Arlanda before we got away and had to travel to Berlin via Oslo and Frankfurt. It was very quick and easy to get the compensation, which in principle was the same amount we had paid for the trip from the beginning. In other words, it was a good deal.
09 May 2019 - 7:19
Veiken says:
I saw the comment from AMA about delayed trains. I have requested and received compensation for it from SJ. Very simple and smooth. Big praise to SJ for that!
What about flights - how long after travelling can you claim compensation?
09 May 2019 - 18:21
Lena - good for the soul says:
Yes, indeed. The snowstorm in autumn 2016. We fasted one night at Arlanda, which meant we arrived at the airport for lunch instead of the night before. Demanded money back from right and left. Got so much compensation that the whole trip was free. 🙂
Hug Lena
10 May 2019 - 6:09
Renate's travels says:
I've actually been quite lucky, and haven't had many long delays or cancelled flights... until now. In connection with the SAS strike just now, my flight from Bodø via Oslo to London was cancelled, and I did not leave until a day later (and the travel time was much longer). Yesterday, my flight from Frankfurt to Oslo with SAS was also cancelled, so I had to wait for a new flight until today. I got accommodation in a nice hotel and free food, and that was all I needed. However, I'm also a bit unsure about the rules for seeking reimbursement. I have done it once, on a delayed charter flight from Bodø to Las Palmas in January, and that case is still being processed. They say it can take half a year before you hear anything ...
10 May 2019 - 15:20