James Walker: Don’t delay if you need to complain about a flight

With the holiday season about to take off, millions of us are heading to the shops to find some beachwear that isn’t too tight and sunscreen with the right factor. For most of us, the trip to the airport will be full of the usual annoyances and stresses, but should be uneventful. But a few unlucky travellers will be hit by flight delays.

The amount of compensation depends on time and distance. PIcture: Dan Kitwood/Getty

In the four and a half years Resolver has been around, we’ve helped sort out almost half a million complaints about flight delays and cancellations.

Here’s how it works

If your flight has been delayed, what you’re entitled to depends on how long the delay was and what distance you are flying. Don’t worry about figuring out what rules apply to you. Check out the Resolver website to find out how it works and use our free complaint form too.

When can you claim?

The flight must be delayed by more than three hours and the delay is counted from the time the flight is meant to arrive and not take off. “Arrival” counts as the point at which the cabin crew open the doors, not when the plane touches down.

The flight must take off from the UK or European Union or be from an airline based in these areas. Connected flights count, even if you switch to a non-EU airline half-way through your trip.

The issue must be “within the control of the airline” (so bad weather or air-traffic control disputes are going to leave you without any compensation).

How much can you claim?

If the flight is less than 1,500km and the flight is more than three hours late, then you can claim €250.

If the flight is between 1,500km and 3,000km and the flight is more than three hours late, then you can claim €400.

If the flight is more than 3,000km and leaving the EU, or is an EU airline flying into the UK and is between three and four hours late, then you could get back €300. If it is more than four hours late, you could expect up to €600.

Tips to help you claim

Make sure you know how long your delay is – you could keep a record to send with your claim by taking pictures on your smartphone

Don’t take no for an answer – if you believe the airline is obliged to pay out you can take it to a dispute resolution scheme – we’ll tell you how on the website. You might be offered compensation such as miles or vouchers – you don’t have to accept these as you are entitled to any compensation in cash.

Is it fair?

Flight delay compensation was introduced after the EU got fed up with the industry not introducing its own compensation scheme for delayed travellers. But it is a blunt tool. You could have paid £20 for a flight and get £300 compensation. That clearly is disproportionate, so I have a bit of sympathy for the airlines.

However, the airlines have got defensive about compensation and have made it hard to claim, with online forms and hard-to-contact claims teams all designed to put you off taking things further. There’s no reason why an airline needs your booking and reference number, as it already has this information. Humour them and provide it anyway. And never use a fee-charging claims management company – it’s money for nothing.

James Walker is the founder of online complaint-resolution service Resolver.co.uk