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Flight delays are a common problem that affects the plans of millions of air travellers every year. Delayed flights mean significant material losses during business trips and can easily ruin perfectly planned holidays.

So how do I check if my flight is delayed? How to find out why my flight is delayed? Here come useful flight trackings apps such as FlightAware, FlightStats, and Flightradar24.

Their main goal is to offer detailed live flight data, terminal information, seat maps, and alerts for gate changes.

These apps - easily downloadable to your smartphone, tablet, or even smartwatch - not only track your flight and warn of delays. They also perform the function of a free flight delay checker.

Claim with AirAdvisor and get up to €600 (£520) compensation. Find out how much you’re owed today.Check Your Flight

What Is a Flight Delay Checker? Why Is It So Important?

Travelling becomes much more burdensome than fun when facing issues such as air travel delays. With the help of flight tracking apps, you can easily perform flight delay checks.

Once you checked your flight and determine it was delayed, you can see if you are eligible for delayed flight compensation.

Make sure to take note of all important flight details, including the delay duration in hours. You will need it to claim your compensation.

Along with verifying information in a flight delay checker, also contact an airline directly. Sometimes air delays are resolved very quickly.

Flight calculator

How to Find Past Flight Information? How to Check if a Past Flight Was Delayed? How to Check How Long My Flight Was Delayed?

Flight tracking apps allow you to access the historical flight status and see if you are entitled to compensation.

Remember that you can claim flight delay compensation for the travels done up to 3 years back.

Most airlines have built-in tools to help identify potential air travel delays.

For example, if you would like to get the latest updates on your RyanAir flight, you can use the flight delay checker RyanAir offers to its passengers.

Flight Delays: When Are You Entitled to Compensation?

So you have checked your flight data and done your delay calc, now what? How to understand if you can get flight delay compensation?

You can do so with our free flight delay compensation calculator. Just fill in your basic flight data. You will find out instantly if you are entitled to compensation.

Flight delay compensation

The passengers’ rights for flight delay compensation regulation are enforced by the EU Regulation 261/2004. It says that if a long delay catches you at the airport, you can claim compensation of up to €600 (£520).

The rule of thumb is that you are eligible for flight delay compensation only if you arrive late at your destination by 3 hours or more.

You can claim flight delay compensation for:

  • all flights departing from an EU airport and operated by any airline
  • all flights arriving at an EU airport and operated by an EU airline

To make a claim for plane delays, you should have your flight data with the scheduled and actual times of departure and arrival, and names of the airports.

All such information is available at your flight delay checker.

Flight delayed over 3 hours or canceled? See if AirAdvisor can get you compensation.Check Your Flight

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Compensation Amounts for Flight Delays

Flight delay compensation amounts basically depend on the distance of the whole flight from the point of departure to the point of the final destination of your flight.

Such information can be found in your flight delay checker as well.

Here are the flight delay compensation amounts prescribed by the EU Regulation 261/2004:

  1. €250 (£220): for all flights less than 1,500km, ex. London - Berlin
  2. €400 (£350): for all internal EU flights over 1,500km, ex. London - Athens
  3. €400 (£350): for all non-internal EU flights between 1,500km - 3,500km, ex. London - Kyiv
  4. €600 (£520): for all non-internal EU flights over 3,500km, ex. London - New York

The compensation amounts may vary according to the possible flight delays scenario. You can check your compensation amount with our free flight delay compensation calculator. These compensation amounts are valid for cases of flight cancellation or missed connection.

To have the right to flight delay compensation, you must do plane check-in and be on time for the boarding. Otherwise, an airline would have all the rights to dismiss your claim.

a woman holding a piece of paper with a question sign on it

What to Do in Case of Flight Delays?

Whenever you experience a delay, follow these steps:

  • inquire about the reason of the delay (get some written proof of delay)
  • ask for complimentary meals and drinks
  • ask for a free hotel room and transportation (if necessary)
  • ask for access to baby care facilities (for passengers travelling with children under 7 years old)
  • hold onto your boarding pass, e-Ticket, and other travel documents - they will be useful in claiming your flight delay compensation
  • hold onto the receipts of any extra expenses you may have while waiting for the delayed flight (meals, personal hygiene items, etc.)
  • do not sign any waivers or other documents - you may lose your right to flight delay compensation

Be prepared by learning more about your right to compensation in case of flight delay.

Waiting for the flight

How to Find Out Why My Flight Is Delayed? Reasons for Flight Delays

Air travel delays happen for many reasons. You are entitled to compensation only if a delay occurs due to the fault of the airline as below:

  • inconsistencies in the schedule
  • operational problems (the crew is not ready for the flight)
  • aircraft technical problems, and others

Sometimes delays are caused by extraordinary circumstances which are beyond the control of airlines. In such cases, airlines do not have to pay the flight delay compensation.

Here are a few examples of extraordinary circumstances:

  • bad weather and natural disasters
  • third party strikes (airport strikes, air traffic control strikes)
  • A hidden manufacturing defect in aircraft

Some of the reasons for delays, such as bad weather, are grey areas. This allows airlines to speculate and devise excuses to avoid paying flight delay compensations.

That is why the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) created a new aviation ombudsman scheme. The airline ombudsman UK service is extremely powerful.

It can force airlines to pay passengers flight delay compensation in case of flight delays. The waiting time can be an issue; hence AirAdvisor can help you out.

How Can AirAdvisor Help You to Claim Your Flight Delay Compensation?

Flight delay compensation

Our company has long-time expertise, advanced technology, and broad partnerships in the aviation industry. We can help you to get your flight delay compensation in a timely and cost-effective manner. 

We do not take any upfront payments for our service. It is completely risk-free for you. 

The only thing you should do is check the flight compensation you are entitled to. Use our free flight delay compensation calculator to do so. 

Then, just relax and wait patiently. We'll take care of all the process: from collecting the data to communicating with airlines and legal authorities.

We will do everything that is needed, updating you along the process.

Flight delayed over 3 hours or canceled? See if AirAdvisor can get you compensation.Check Your Flight

FAQ

How do I check if my flight is delayed?

There are multiple ways to do it: you can check on the airport or airline website or on a flight tracking app.

What is the longest an airline can delay a flight?

There is no standard maximum flight delay time. Airlines usually delay flights for up to 24 hours. After 3 hours you are entitled to compensation and after 5 you can even ask for a ticket refund.

Is flight tracker real time?

Yes, most flight tracking apps give you real-time data. This means you can easily track if your flight will be delayed or on time. 

Which flight tracker is best?

There's no one flight tracker that is the best. To decide which one is most useful to you try reading several reviews.