How You Can Claim Compensation If Your Flight Is Delayed
Many people travel by plane for a wide variety of reasons. Inevitably on some occasions there will be delays. However, while this is frustrating it is worth knowing that (depending on the circumstances) you can claim compensation so you can at least get something back for the stress caused by a delayed flight!
Current rules
Under EU regulation 261/2004 (at the time of writing we are not sure how the Brexit will affect this but it is likely a similar regulation would be brought into place) you are expected to receive care and compensation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours. Under this regulation that includes food and drink or in the case of an overnight delay this can also include the appropriate accommodation and/or transport.
In some cases the airline may not be able to book it for you in which case you should keep receipts in order to claim compensation for accommodation (however, this should be reasonable – you’d only get the full amount back on a five star hotel if there was no other alternative).
What you can claim
For short flights you can claim up to £198, £318 for flights up to 3,500km, £238 for a flight further than 3,500km with a 3 or 4 hour delay and up to £476 if a flight further than 3,500km is delayed more than 4 hours.
However, it is important to note in circumstances beyond the airline’s control (medical emergencies, poor weather conditions, strike action) you may not be able to claim.
How to claim
There are a number of ways to do this. The airline should have a form you can fill in allowing you to claim compensation. If they do not offer this or you feel that the offer from the airline isn’t enough you can approach legal or financial representatives who can pursue this for you. There are also checking services available online so that you can see if you have a claim and the likelihood of receiving compensation.
What if the airline has gone bust?
The best advice is to make sure your flight package is ATOL protected or to get the appropriate insurance. Another method is to pay by credit card so you can reclaim the money through your card provider. There is the risk if you are stranded that you will have to pay to get a flight home which is why it is best to use ATOL protected firms whenever possible.
Talk to us
At Larcomes Financial Services we believe that we not only have the resources and specialist knowledge to deal with compensation issues, we also have the people on board who can help guide you through what can often be a difficult and stressful situation.
If you have experienced a delayed flight and are not sure whether or not you could receive compensation and would like to know more contact us today and we will be happy to see whether you have a claim and what we can do to help you get compensated.