Air travel is one of the more complex technical accomplishments in modern history, that much is undeniable. However, it’s far from a perfect system. Airlines and their employees often find themselves under continuous pressure and stress, especially when a flight is delayed for over 3 hours .
If you travel enough, chances are you have dealt with a delay. Whether or not your flight was delayed for over 3 hours , you likely understand the struggle as a traveler who is dealing with something so out of your control. The difference is that your compensation claim becomes stronger, the longer the delay lasts.
Requirements for Flight Delay Compensation: An Overview
Before we go any further we should touch upon the basics of flight delay compensation, and how you can file a claim… Let’s dive in.
The Basics
The circumstances around your compensation claim come with layers. Your compensation claim rests entirely on the exact situation surrounding your delay. If the right situation exists, you may be due up to €600 in compensation.
The payouts will typically range from €250-600, with the two most important factors being:
- The length of your journey
- How long the delay lasts
The Distance of Planned Travel
This is relatively black and white compared to the rest of the process. The impact of the distance of your planned travel breaks down like this.
Short distance delays include anything below 1500km of travel, and they call for compensation of €250. The next tier of compensation includes medium distance, between 1500km and 3500km, which can result in €400 in flight delay compensation. Long-distance flight delays (anything over 3500km) calls for compensation of €600.
Length of Delay
A current EC Regulation, established in 2004 and strengthened in 2015, outlines the time thresholds that need to be crossed in order to have a legitimate claim for EU flight delay compensation . Regulation 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation claims and what is expected of airlines during a situation that leads to a delay or cancellation.
It has been established that if a flight is delayed for over 3 hours you may be entitled to compensation. The compensation will typically range from €250-600, as we previously mentioned.
Extraordinary Circumstances and Other Roadblocks
Even if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours there are still ways for the airline to get off the hook. Getting themselves off the hook will likely be priority one, and getting what you’re owed might require a fight. When extraordinary circumstances arise, situations will break in favor of the airline.
These circumstances include, but aren’t limited too:
- Severe Weather
- Political Instability
- Runway Closures
- Bird Strikes
- Medical Emergencies
That is an incomplete list, although they are all common. If any of these are relevant to your delay, and thus your claim, the airline can’t be held responsible. One thing to note is that unforeseen technical problems are no longer considered to be extraordinary circumstances if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours .
A lack of preparedness on your end will limit the potential of your claim. Understand, and expect, the airline to have their facts straight. Not to mention that they will take any opportunity to delay the process..
That’s why, on the flip side of being aware of your rights, you also have to be aware (and honest) about the situation at hand. To go a bit deeper, understanding the rules of flight delay compensation is just as important as knowing your limitations. If you anticipate a long, drawn-out process, that’s when you have to look for professional help.
Making The Right Moves: Explore Your Claims Legitimacy
Facing a flight delay of over 3 hours can go from bad to worse pretty quickly. That will only worsen as you fail to push your compensation claim forward. At TravelRefund , we strive to make every travel experience you have worth it. We hope that you never need to seek out our assistance, but the reality is that flight delays are common and we are focused on protecting your rights as a passenger.
Flight Delay Compensation
TravelRefund is dedicated to getting you the flight delay compensation you are owed. We operate on a no cure, no pay basis, so you e ither get your compensation, or you don’t.
Working with us guarantees that any case which makes it to court won’t be a net loss. You will never get a bill from us unless we claim victory. If we are sending you a bill, it will be accompanied by a more substantial compensation payment. That’s our promise.
We are always innovating our strategy so clients get the flight delay compensation that they deserve in a timely fashion. It’s that simple, all you need to do is reach out and share the facts of the situation with us. Once that happens, we will take over.
Learn more about your options when making a flight delay compensation request for free by filling out our online form .