What to Do When Airlines Refuse to Pay for Flight Disruptions
You’ve submitted a compensation claim to the airline, and after weeks of waiting, you finally get a response saying that your claim has been denied. While this can be disheartening, it might help to know that claim denials and rejections happen all the time and for various reasons.
Some reasons are valid but others are completely unjustified. The fact is that airlines will sometimes reject your claim with the hope that you’ll just abandon it. So what should you do if the airline refuses to compensate you?
In this guide, we’re going to explore why airlines deny claims, how to determine if their refusal is valid, and what you can do to get the compensation you’re owed.
Step 1: Verify the Reason for Rejection
When your claim has been denied, the first step is identifying the reason for the denial. Usually, airlines will give you some idea of why they refused to issue compensation, but the reasons they provide can be vague or confusing. So, always double check your claim to ensure it meets EU261 and UK261 requirements.
The following table will give you a better idea of which denials are valid and which are unjustified.
Denial Reason | Valid or Unfair |
Claim submitted after filing deadline | Valid |
Flight was outside EU/UK jurisdiction | Valid |
You arrived less than 3 hours late | Valid |
The disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances | Could be valid if they provided proof |
Your flight was cancelled more than 2 weeks before departure | Valid |
You volunteered your seat in a denied boarding claim | Valid |
You were denied boarding because you arrived and checked-in late | Valid |
You were denied boarding because of poor health, security risks, improper documentation, or unruly behavior | Valid |
The airline claims the disruption was caused by airline strikes, staffing shortages, or operational and mechanical problems. | Unfair |
The airline miscalculated your flight delay based on departure rather than arrival time. | Unfair |
Providing a generic cause of denial or not stating the reason at all | Unfair |
Shifting the blame to a codeshare partner | Unfair or questionable |
Step 2: Request Written Confirmation of the Refusal
If the airline didn’t explain why they refused your claim, you will need to request this information from them in writing. If the reasoning they provided was vague, you can request additional details. Here’s a sample letter template you can use:
Dear [Airline Customer Service],
I recently filed a compensation claim for a disrupted flight under EU/UK261.
- Your name
- Flight Number
- Booking Reference
- Travel Dates
- Flight Route
- Reason for Your Claim
You sent a response on [DATE] stating that my claim has been denied, but I would like to request written confirmation explaining the specific reason for the denial as well as any evidence that led you to this decision.
Please provide an explanation that includes the specific reason why my claim was rejected as well as related proof. If I don’t receive an adequate response, I will escalate my claim to [National Enforcement Body i.e. CAA or NEB].
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Kind Regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Contact Information]
Expert Tip: Persistence pays off! If an airline rejects your claim unfairly, resubmit it with additional supporting evidence (e.g., flight records, official delay reports). Passengers who challenge denials often have a higher success rate. - Anton Radchenko, Esq., International Lawyer at Airadvisor
Step 3: Escalate Your Complaint
After you request more information about your rejected claim, give the airline around 6-8 weeks to respond. If they fail to respond or provide inadequate answers to your request, you will need to escalate your claim to the relevant aviation authorities or National Enforcement Bodies (NEBs).
The complaint submission process for NEBs will be similar to the steps you followed when you filed your compensation claim with the airline. You’ll need to provide sufficient information about your flight as well as your communication with the airline.
How to Find National Enforcement Bodies
Escalate your claim to the NEB that pertains to your specific flight route.
- If your flight departed from the UK, you will escalate your claim to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
- If your flight departed from or arrived in an EU member state, you will escalate your claim to the NEB of your departure country. Here is a full list of Europe's NEBs.
- If your flight departure was outside the EU or UK on an EU or UK airline, escalate your claim to the country where your airline is based.
- If your flight was in the United States, you would escalate your complaint to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Note: It can sometimes take 1-3 months for the NEB to process your complaint.
Step 4: Consider Legal Action or Third-Party Claim Services
Submitting claims to airlines and NEBs can be a frustrating and time consuming process. So, if your claim has been rejected by the airline, or if you haven’t received a response from the NEB, you can also consider taking legal action or using a 3rd party claim service like AirAdvisor to handle the process for you.
Claim with AirAdvisor and get up to £520 compensationCheck Your Flight
To put all this in context, here are a few examples of how the claim and escalation process works.
UK Example: British Airways Passenger Refused Compensation for a 5-hour Flight Delay
The situation: A passenger was denied compensation for her delayed British Airways flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK). Because her arrival was 5 hours past her scheduled arrival time, she should have received £520 (€600) based on the rules of UK261.
British Airways denied the claim because of “technical issues beyond their control”, but they didn’t provide any evidence to justify their decision.
Steps taken:
- Emily wrote to British Airways requesting proof of the extraordinary circumstances.
- She didn’t get a response from the airline, so she lodged a complaint with the CAA.
- British Airways continued to ignore her requests, so she contacted AirAdvisor to handle the claim for her.
EU Example: Ryanair Passenger Refused Compensation for a Cancelled Flight
The Situation: A Ryanair passenger had a cancelled flight eligible for €400 under EU261 Regulations. A compensation claim was submitted with the airline who denied it because of extraordinary circumstances, but they didn’t explain what the circumstances were.
The passenger has proof that there were no serious weather conditions, airport strikes, or air traffic control restrictions that would have led to the cancellation.
Steps Taken:
- The passenger wrote to Ryanair, requesting official documentation of the circumstances that caused the cancelled flight.
- Ryanair never responded to the request, so the passenger lodged an official complaint with the National Enforcement Body in Spain (AESA).
- No resolution was reached, so they contacted AirAdvisor to take over the claim where they left off.
US Example: American Airlines Passenger Rejected Due to “Extraordinary Circumstances”
Scenario: An American Airlines passenger had a last minute cancellation for her flight from Los Angeles to Miami. She didn’t accept an alternate flight or receive a refund, so she wrote to the airline requesting it. They denied her claim stating that the flight was cancelled for reasons beyond their control, but they didn’t provide any supporting evidence of this.
Steps Taken:
- She wrote a letter to American requesting additional information about her claim denial.
- American Airlines ignored her request, so she filed an official complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- After several weeks without a response, she decided to contact AirAdvisor to follow up with her refund request.
Bottom Line
While simple and straight forward in theory, the compensation claim process can be complex and difficult to navigate at times. It also requires considerable time investment, a lot of organization and patience to get what you rightfully deserve for your flight disruption. In most cases, persistence pays off, but if you don’t want to go up against an airline alone, or if you simply don’t have the time or energy to pursue a rejected claim, remember that AirAdvisor is always here to make the claims process as easy as possible.
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