Delayed flight: how to claim up to €600 step by step
Your rights as a passenger in the EU and how to make the claim without hiring anyone.
Your rights under the law
EU Regulation 261/2004 states that if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours, cancelled without prior notice (less than 14 days) or you are denied boarding due to overbooking, you are entitled to financial compensation. This applies to all flights departing the EU (any airline) or arriving in the EU on a European airline.
How much you are owed
Compensation depends on the flight distance: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights within the EU over 1,500 km or international flights between 1,500-3,500 km, and €600 for international flights over 3,500 km. These amounts are fixed by law, regardless of the price you paid for the ticket.
When you CANNOT claim
If the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances (extreme weather, a health emergency, an air traffic controllers' strike, a security risk), the airline is not obliged to compensate. Note: a strike by the airline itself or a technical fault DO entitle you to compensation.
How to claim yourself (free)
Step 1: Keep your boarding pass and any communication from the airline. Step 2: Send an email to the airline's customer service citing EU Regulation 261/2004, your flight number, the date and the details of the incident. Step 3: If they do not respond within 6 weeks, escalate to AESA (the State Air Safety Agency) in Spain or the equivalent body in your country.
Using a claims service
If you do not want to handle the paperwork, companies like AirHelp or Compensair do it for you. They charge a commission (25-35%) only if they win the case. You risk nothing. From Flamaz you can generate the claim with AI and connect directly with these services.
Deadline to claim
In Spain you have up to 5 years to claim. In other countries it varies: 6 years in the UK, 3 years in Germany, 2 years in Italy. Do not let time pass — the sooner you claim, the easier it is to obtain the documentation.
