John F. Kennedy New York (JFK) Airport Flight Compensation

Written By Nicolle Harwood-Nash

Last Updated: April 19, 2024

How to Claim John F. Kennedy Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation

When a flight hiccup happens, it can feel like an enormous hassle. Even more so when it happens at a bustling aviation hub like New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. If you've faced an unexpected flight delay, cancellation or denied boarding, this article is for you!

Our team at AirAdvisor has put together a comprehensive guide to help you understand what to do if you're stuck in such a situation. We discuss the regulations you need to know, when you might be able to claim compensation for a flight disruption, and how to go about lodging a claim.

Tip: If you're looking to avoid airports with chronic flight delays and LDA90 issues, it's advisable to steer clear of JFK Airport, which ranks as one of the worst airports in the U.S by AirAdvisor Score. Instead, you might consider opting for neighboring airports such as LaGuardia or Newark. While they also make our list, they offer a slightly improved experience in comparison.

Passenger Rights in the US

The safeguards provided to you as a passenger within US policy differ extensively from the stipulations outlined in the EU261 regulation of the European Union. According to US regulations, airlines are under no mandatory legal requirement to provide financial compensation for travel interruptions, except for situations in which you're unable to board due to flight overbooking. This means that your passenger rights in the US don't cover you in the event of a flight delay or cancellation.

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You Could Be Protected by EU & UK Law

EU261 stipulates the entitlements of passengers departing from any EU airport, and those inbound to an EU airport, provided the carrier is based in the EU. As such, if you start your travel at JFK International Airport and your final destination is within the EU aboard an EU-based airline, EU261 protections apply to you. To illustrate, if you're flying from JFK to Paris on Air France, and face significant delay or cancellation, you could potentially be eligible for compensation under EU261 rules.

Following its exit from the European Union, the United Kingdom established its own passenger protection regulations, known as UK261. These rules share a close resemblance to EU261 and become applicable when you are leaving a UK airport or travelling into the UK on a UK-based airline. So, if your journey takes you from John F. Kennedy International Airport to London on a UK carrier such as British Airways, and you face a travel disruption, UK261 is there to uphold your rights.

JFK International Airport Flight Delay Compensation

Up next, we'll dig into the details of what you're entitled to as a passenger when your trip that starts from John F. Kennedy International Airport is delayed:

Passenger Rights in Case of JFK Flight Delay

A flight delay can be frustrating, but knowing your rights in this situation can make it easier to handle. If you're held up at JFK Airport, the help and potential monetary compensation you might get largely depends on the airline's rules and the regulations they follow. As discussed, for US airlines, there's no national rule that says they have to give you any money back to compensate for delayed flights. Still, many US airlines choose to offer things like meal vouchers, places to stay, or the choice to rebook on a later flight, especially if the delay is a lengthy one.

If you're heading to the EU or UK on an EU or UK airline and your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, you could be in line for some compensation under EU261 or UK261 rules, no matter what your citizenship status is.

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How Much Can You Claim for JFK Delay

If you qualify for compensation under EU261 or UK261 regulations, you might be entitled to a sum ranging from around $280 (€250) to $670 (€600), depending on factors like the distance of the flight and the length of the delay. Importantly, irrespective of what caused the delay, the airline has a responsibility to provide things like meals, drinks, and possibly even a place to stay, once the delay goes beyond certain set times.

For shorter flights that cover 1,500 kilometers (about 930 miles) or less, the delay has to be at least 2 hours for you to be eligible for care. For medium-haul flights that cover between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers (approximately 930 miles to 2,175 miles), you'd need to face a delay of 3 hours or more. For long-distance flights not included in the previous two categories, the delay should be a minimum of 4 hours.

However, keep in mind that airlines may sometimes have more generous policies that go above and beyond what the regulations require. Always check the specifics of the airline you're flying with for their own rules and conditions.

John F. Kennedy International Airport Cancelled Flight Compensation & Refund

Here's some information on what you're entitled to in terms of compensation for cancelled flights and refunds for tickets when your journey starts from JFK International Airport on an EU or UK airline and you're heading to an EU or UK location:

Cancelled Flight Law in Europe

EU261 stipulates that, in the case of a flight cancellation, airlines have to offer you other flight options or give your money back, as long as the cancellation wasn't because of 'extraordinary circumstances' that the airline couldn't control. These circumstances might include severe weather, unexpected flight safety shortcomings or industrial action, for example.

It's worth noting that, no matter why the flight got cancelled, the airline has to give you things like food and drinks, ways to communicate, and somewhere to stay if you need it.

New York JFK Cancelled Flight Compensation You Can Claim

If your flight from JFK Airport to a destination in Europe on an EU airline gets cancelled, you might be covered by EU261. How much you might get back in financial compensation depends on how far you were supposed to fly and how long you ended up being delayed.

For shorter flights that were supposed to cover less than 1,500 kilometers (around 932 miles), you could get $280 back in compensation. For medium-length flights that were going to be between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers (roughly 932 to 2,175 miles), the amount goes up to $450. And for the longest flights that were going to cover more than 3,500 kilometers (around 2,175 miles), you could get $670 back.

Denied Boarding at JFK International Airport

Denied boarding situations can happen at any airport, JFK included. This usually happens because of overbooking, which is pretty common in the airline business. When there are more passengers than there are seats, airlines usually look for people who are willing to give up their seats in return for certain benefits. But if not enough people volunteer, some passengers might have to be denied boarding against their will.

If this happens to you, there are certain rights and protections you have under both the rules of the US Department of Transportation and EU261 or UK261, if you're heading to the EU or UK on an EU or UK airline. These rights cover potential money back, different ways to get to where you were going, or possibly getting your ticket refunded. Exactly what you can get and how much you might get back depends on things like how long you end up being delayed in getting to your destination and how far your flight was supposed to be.

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Claim New York JFK Airport Compensation With AirAdvisor

Getting flight compensation through AirAdvisor is a smooth and straightforward process. All you have to do to start is go to our website and fill out our easy-to-use online form for claims. You'll need to put in important information about the flight that had problems, like the flight number, the flight date, and what exactly went wrong (like a delay, cancellation, or being denied boarding).

After you send the form in, our experienced team will look at your claim carefully, check if you qualify for any money back under the relevant rules, and quickly start talking to the airline for you. With AirAdvisor handling everything, you won't need to worry about complicated paperwork or difficult legal language. We'll make sure the whole process of getting what you're owed is as easy as possible for you.

John F. Kennedy International Airport JFK Questions and Answers

Here, we address some of the most common questions and provide helpful answers regarding your passenger rights and potential flight disruptions at JFK Airport: