Every year, millions of flights in Europe are delayed or cancelled — and most passengers have no idea they could be entitled to up to €600 in compensation. Under EU Regulation EC 261/2004, airlines are legally obligated to pay you if your flight is significantly delayed, cancelled, or you're denied boarding.

What Is EU Regulation EC 261?

EC 261 is a European law that protects air passengers. It applies to:

All flights departing from an EU airport (any airline)
All flights arriving in the EU on an EU-based airline

This means even if you fly with a non-EU airline from Paris to New York, you're covered.

How Much Compensation Can You Get?

The amount depends on the flight distance:

| Distance | Compensation | |----------|-------------| | Under 1,500 km | €250 | | 1,500–3,500 km | €400 | | Over 3,500 km | €600 |

When Are You Entitled to Compensation?

You can claim if:

Your flight was delayed by 3+ hours at arrival
Your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure
You were denied boarding due to overbooking
You missed a connecting flight due to a delay on the first leg

When You're NOT Entitled

Airlines don't have to pay if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances:

Severe weather (storms, volcanic ash)
Air traffic control strikes
Security threats
Political instability

However, technical problems and staff shortages are NOT extraordinary circumstances — airlines must still compensate you.

How to Claim Your Compensation

Claiming directly from airlines can be frustrating. They often reject valid claims or simply don't respond. That's why services like AirHelp exist — they handle the entire claims process for you, including legal action if necessary.

→ Check if you're owed compensation with AirHelp

AirHelp has helped over 16 million passengers claim their rightful compensation. They work on a no-win, no-fee basis — you only pay if they successfully get your money.

Real Examples

Oslo → London, 4-hour delay: €250 compensation
Berlin → Barcelona, cancelled 3 days before: €400 compensation
Amsterdam → New York, 5-hour delay: €600 compensation

Don't Let Your Money Expire

Claims can be filed up to 3 years after the flight in most EU countries. So even if your flight was delayed last year, you might still be able to claim.

→ Check your past flights for free with AirHelp

Key Takeaways

EU law protects you on delayed, cancelled, and overbooked flights
You can get €250–€600 depending on distance
Claims are valid for up to 3 years
Services like AirHelp make claiming easy and risk-free
Technical issues are NOT extraordinary circumstances — you're still entitled

Flight Delayed? Know Your Rights: EU Compensation Up to €600