When your flight arrives with a delay at you destination, you might be eligible for a compensation from you airline.
In 2005 Order 261/2004 went into effect in the European Union. This legislation laid out the rules for when an airline is obligated to pay you a compensation. These are rules for the European Union, so you are only eligible for a compensation if:
- your flight originated in a EU country
OR - if you flight from a country outside the EU to a country within the EU with a European airline
So for flights from the USA to Europe it is important to know if you are flying with a European airline.
In the following cases you are eligible for a compensation for flights to/from the USA:
- Your flight was delayed for more than 3 hours
- Your flight was cancelled shortly before your scheduled departure
- You missed your connecting flight
- You were denied boarding
Which compensation will you get?
The compensation depends on the distance of the flight. The price of the ticket doesn’t have any influence on the compensation.
Destinations within the EU
- €250 for a flight up to 1500 km
- €400 for a flight of more than 1500 km
Destinations outside the EU
- €250 for a flight up to 1500 km
- €400 for a flight between 1500 km and 3500 km
- €600 for a flight of more than 3500 km
Beware: for a flight of more than 3500 km and a delay between 3 and 4 hours, you only get 50% of the compensation.
In which cases won’t you get a compensation?
If there is a case of an ‘extraordinary situation’, like bad weather, a strike, terrorism, …, you will not get a compensation. A technical issue on the airplane or a strike of the personnel of your airline is not considered an extraordinary situation and makes you eligible for a compensation.
How to check if you are eligible for a compensation?
Was your flight delayed and do you want to know if you’re eligible for a compensation? Check it on EUclaim. Enter your flight details and you get an overview of the compensation you should get.
If your airline is refusing to pay you a compensation, you can have EUclaim file a claim for you. They have the expertise to get the airlines to pay. They will even bring your case to court if necessary and it won’t cost you any money as long as they don’t get you a compensation. When EUclaim has gotten you a compensation, you owe them 29% of the compensation + 33 euros. They will withhold that amount from your compensation.
