Flight Cancelled or Delayed? EU Law Says You're Owed Up to €600 — Here's How to Claim

The law most passengers don't know exists

Every year, millions of European air passengers accept flight cancellations and multi-hour delays without claiming a cent. They take the rebooking, eat the airline's €5 meal voucher, and move on. What they don't know: EU law entitles them to €250-600 in cash compensation on top of the rebooking — and it has nothing to do with the ticket price.

EU Regulation 261/2004 is one of the strongest consumer protection laws in the world. And airlines count on you not knowing about it.

What you're owed — the compensation table

Critical point: compensation is based on distance, not ticket price. A €29 Ryanair ticket London→Rome generates the same €400 as a €500 BA ticket on the same route.

When you're entitled to compensation

Flight cancelled

You're entitled if the airline informed you less than 14 days before departure. If notified more than 14 days ahead, no financial compensation (but you get a full refund or alternative flight).

Exception: if the airline offered an alternative flight arriving within 2-4 hours of the original (depending on distance).

Flight delayed by 3+ hours

If you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more late compared to the scheduled time, you're entitled to the same compensation as cancellation. Note: it's calculated at arrival time, not departure.

Denied boarding (overbooking)

If the airline overbooked the flight and you're denied boarding despite having a valid ticket and arriving on time, you're entitled to compensation PLUS alternative transport or a full refund.

When airlines DON'T have to pay

Airlines are exempt if they prove extraordinary circumstances — situations genuinely beyond their control:

Extraordinary (no compensation):

• Severe weather (storm, dense fog, volcanic eruption)
• Air traffic control strikes (NOT airline staff strikes)
• Security threats
• Political instability or natural disasters
• Bird strikes (confirmed by EU Court of Justice in 2024)

NOT extraordinary (compensation applies):

• Technical problems with the aircraft (even unforeseen ones)
• Airline staff strikes (pilots, cabin crew, ground staff)
• Staffing shortages
• Overbooking
• Connecting operational issues within the airline's network

What to do IMMEDIATELY at the airport

1. Get written confirmation. Ask the airline for written confirmation of the cancellation/delay — email, paper, anything. If they refuse, photograph the departure board showing your flight status.

2. Claim your care rights. Beyond financial compensation, the airline MUST provide:

• After 2 hours: food and drinks (or vouchers)
• After 5 hours: right to full refund if you abandon the journey
• If overnight stay needed: hotel + airport-hotel transport

3. Keep ALL receipts. If the airline doesn't provide care and you buy food/accommodation yourself, keep invoices — you'll claim them back.

4. Accept the alternative flight BUT don't waive compensation. The airline may offer an alternative flight — accept it. But accepting a rebooking does NOT cancel your right to €250-600 financial compensation. They're separate entitlements.

5. Don't sign waivers. Some airlines offer flight vouchers "in exchange for" compensation. Read what you're signing — accepting a voucher may legally waive your right to cash compensation. Cash is always better than a voucher with conditions.

How to claim — two options

Option 1: DIY (free, but requires effort)

Step 1: Complete the complaint form on the airline's website (all are legally required to have one).

Step 2: Include: flight number, date, scheduled vs. actual arrival time, and explicitly request compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004.

Step 3: If the airline refuses or doesn't respond within 6-8 weeks, escalate to the national aviation authority of the departure country (CAA in the UK, DGAC in France, ENAC in Italy, LBA in Germany).

Step 4: If still unresolved, small claims court (UK: under £500 filing fee, 3-6 months).

Advantage: you keep 100% of the compensation.

Disadvantage: airlines systematically reject first claims (70-80% rejection rate on first attempt). The process can take 3-12 months of correspondence.

Option 2: Through AirHelp or similar services

Step 1: Enter your flight details on AirHelp — the eligibility check is free and instant.

Step 2: If eligible, AirHelp handles everything: negotiation with the airline, documentation, and court action if necessary.

Step 3: You receive the money. Fee: 35% of compensation (only if successful).

Concrete example: London→Athens flight cancelled (distance ~2,400 km) = €400 compensation. With AirHelp: you receive €260 net, zero effort. Without AirHelp: €400 but with 3-12 months of correspondence and potential court.

Advantage: zero effort, zero risk (you don't pay if they don't win).

Disadvantage: 35% fee.

Special cases worth knowing

Missed connections

If you have a connecting flight on a single booking (e.g., London → Munich → Bangkok) and you miss the Munich connection due to the first flight's delay, compensation is calculated on the total distance (London → Bangkok = over 3,500 km = €600), not the individual segment.

Requirement: must be a single booking. Two separate tickets = two separate claims.

Return flights

If your return flight was cancelled, you have a separate compensation right. Outbound and return are treated as independent flights, each with its own entitlement.

Flights from years ago

You can claim retroactively for flights from the past 2-6 years (depending on country). Check your email for old booking confirmations and verify on AirHelp — you might have unclaimed compensation waiting.

Key statistics

• 70-80% of direct compensation claims are rejected on first attempt by airlines (source: AirHelp). Most are then approved after escalation or court action.
• Average compensation claimed through AirHelp: €380 per passenger.
• 90% of eligible passengers never claim — airlines save billions annually from passenger ignorance.

Quick-reference checklist

• ✅ Photograph the departure board
• ✅ Get written confirmation from airline
• ✅ Claim care rights (food, hotel if needed)
• ✅ Keep ALL receipts
• ✅ Do NOT sign waivers
• ✅ Accept alternative flight (doesn't waive compensation)
• ✅ Check eligibility free on AirHelp
• ✅ Claim within the time limit (2-6 years depending on country)

👉 Protect future trips: Travel Insurance for Europe — Complete Guide — cancellation cover complements EU261

👉 Avoid problems entirely: Best eSIM for Europe 2026 — stay connected at every airport