Under EU Regulation 261/2004 you may be entitled to €250–€600 compensation for delays, cancellations or denied boarding — with no win, no fee via DelayPaid, or for free directly with the airline. Choose the topic that matches your situation below.
Arrived 3+ hours late? Know your rights and what to do next.
Less than 14 days' notice? You're entitled to compensation and a refund.
When can airlines refuse to pay — and when can't they (technical defects).
How to file your EU261 claim directly with the airline, at no cost.
NL: 2 yrs · BE: 1 yr · DE: 3 yrs · FR: 5 yrs · ES: 5 yrs. Overview & explanation.
All the key facts about Regulation 261/2004: amounts, distances, deadlines.
Claiming compensation from KLM: procedure, deadlines and common questions.
Ryanair often rejects claims — how to push back and improve your chances.
EU261 compensation from easyJet: steps, deadlines and typical objections.
Delayed at Schiphol: which rules apply and how to file your claim.
You are entitled to compensation when your flight arrives 3 or more hours late at your final destination, when your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or when you are denied boarding (e.g. due to overbooking). Delay is measured at arrival, not departure (Sturgeon ruling).
EU261 sets fixed amounts: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km — in each case from an arrival delay of 3 hours. If the airline offered an alternative flight arriving no more than 4 hours later, it may reduce this to €300 (art. 7(2)).
Deadlines vary by country. The Netherlands: 2 years, a forfeiture period (art. 8:1835 BW); Belgium: 1 year (art. X.49 WER); Germany: 3 years; France: 5 years; Spain: 5 years. File as soon as possible to avoid losing your right.
No. According to the Court of Justice of the EU (Wallentin-Hermann, Van der Lans), technical defects are generally not extraordinary circumstances, so airlines cannot use them to avoid paying compensation.
Yes. You can submit your EU261 claim directly and for free to the airline. DelayPaid offers professional handling for a 25% success fee incl. VAT — only charged on success.