Christmas and New Year are one of the most popular times for a trip. But the vision of a relaxing holiday far away from home can end up being a nightmare, if the flight is cancelled or delayed.
A delayed flight often ends up costing you extra money and off course a lot of stress. But you don’t have to deal with that as an air traveler. You are entitled to compensation from the airline for a delayed, overbooked or canceled flight.
Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the so-called Air Passenger Regulation, sets out the main rights that passengers can claim when there are disruptions to their flight. However, as with all rights, your right to compensation expires at some point. The time limitation in EU 261/2004 is explained in more detail in this article.
Time limit in EU regulation 261/2004
A flight delay is a frustrating event that travelers would rather avoid. However, in the event of a flight delay or cancellation, you have several claims and in most cases you are entitled to compensation.
EU Regulation 261/2004 regulates the compensation amounts that airlines must pay their customers in the event of long delays, cancellations, missed connections and overbooking.
However, the time limitation for your claim for compensation varies depending on the country you are travelling from. It is therefore important to know the rules in the country where you wish to make a claim for compensation.
In Denmark your claim for compensation will generally be valid for three years after your flight was delayed or cancelled. In Sweden, on the other hand, there is a limitation period of two months. In other words, you only have two months from the planned departure date to make your claim against the airline. The passenger’s right to compensation is waived if the claim is made more than two months after the delay/cancellation. If the claim has already been made against the airline within the limitation period, you have three years to pursue the claim against the airline, e.g. in court.
The following table summarizes the time limits that apply in the other EU countries:
| Country | The time limit in the EU |
| Sweden | 2 months |
| UK | 6 years |
| France | 5 years |
| Spain | 5 years |
| Germany | 3 years (from the end of the year in which the disturbance occurred) |
| Austria | 3 years |
| Norway | 3 years |
| Denmark | 3 years |
| Finland | 3 years |
| Portugal | 3 years |
| Netherlands | 2 years |
| Polen | 1 years |
| Italy | 26 months |
| Belgium | 1 years |
The time limit for my flight delay is just about to expired, what should I do?
As the time limit for compensation for flight delays draws closer, some are giving up trying to enforce their rights against the airline altogether.
But you don’t have to make an effort even just before the deadline’s expiration date. At Travelrefund, we manage the entire process for you. Our skilled legal department reviews your case completely free of charge, as we offer a “no cure, no pay” solution. We give you an honest assessment, and if we judge that you are entitled to compensation, we contact the airline on your behalf. If the airline rejects your claim with a reason that we do not consider sufficient, the case can be sent to court.
We will do everything we can to ensure that you receive the compensation you are entitled to, even shortly before the deadline. You will find our contact information here and you can submit your claim here . We look forward to hearing from you, and we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Read also about EU261 Compensation for a Delayed or Cancelled Flight.