Ask anybody, and they will tell you that flight delays are a bother and complete hassle. Nobody wants to have their flight delayed, and yet this happens more often than we may think. In fact, flight delays are an all-too-common occurrence in all of the world’s airports. But if you have suffered from a flight delay for three hours or more, you may be entitled to compensation for the inconvenience and headache this has caused. Here are the top facts you need to know about compensation for a flight delay.

Your airline’s responsibilities

If you are traveling with an EU airline or from an airport in Europe and you have a delayed flight of a certain number of kilometres, your airline has certain responsibilities towards you. Indeed, the airline is supposed to provide you with a so-called ‘welfare package’, which consists of food, beverages, a couple of telephone calls, and accommodation plus transportation if your flight is delayed overnight.

Your airline’s responsibilities will depend on your travelling distance as well as the number of hours the flight is delayed. For instance: for flights from 0 to 1500 kilometres which are delayed for more than two hours, you are entitled to the welfare package mentioned above. For flights with a length of 1500 to 3500 kilometres that are delayed for over three hours, you should receive assistance as well. For flights of more than 3500 kilometres which are delayed for more than four hours, your airline would have to provide you with the above-mentioned package or assistance.

If the airline does not arrange any package or assistance for you and you have been forced to pay for you own meals, drinks, or accommodation, keep the receipts so you can easily claim compensation for your expenses.

The cash compensation to which you are entitled

You may also be able to receive compensation in the form of cash for certain flight delays, as explained by flight delay compensation specialists like Air Delay. If your flight is delayed by over three hours and you are departing from an airport in Europe or travelling with an EU airline, you may have the right to claim cash compensation.

There are various compensation levels according to the flight length and the number of hours the flight was delayed. Note that the delay will be calculated based on when you arrive at your destination and not when your plane leaves or departs the airport. For example: if your flight delay is over three hours and the flight length is up to 1500 kilometres, you can receive compensation of €250. For flights that are 1500 to 3500km delayed for over three hours, your compensation can be as much as €400. Compensation for flights over 3500km delayed for over three hours, but less than four hours, can be up to €300, whilst flights over 3500km delayed for over four hours can give you as much as €600 compensation.