Free Flight Delay Compensation Letter & Template

Last Updated: October 10, 2024

Travelling can be stressful at the best of times, but when you’re one of the unlucky passengers who experiences a flight delay, things can get a lot worse. From missed connections to extra costs for food and hotel accommodation, the headache and expenses can add up quickly.

To minimize the impact of a flight delay, airlines in the EU, UK, and Canada must offer compensation to passengers who are affected. This is good news, but unfortunately, the process to claim this compensation isn’t always easy.

But we’re here to help, so gather up all your information and read on to learn all about initiating a compensation request to your airline by drafting a flight delay compensation letter.

Before you head straight into writing a compensation letter, take a few minutes to verify you’re actually entitled to compensation due to a delayed flight. AirAdvisor’s free flight compensation checker will show you exactly what you’ll request from the airline.

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What Information Should You Include in a Flight Delay Compensation Letter

Before you start writing anything, make sure you have all your documents handy. Here’s what you’ll need:

Your flight number
Flight date
Originally scheduled times for arrival and departure
Departure and arrival airports
Reason for the delay
Your booking reference number

Aside from the flight-specific details, make sure to also include:

The names of each affected passenger
The bank information where you’ll expect your compensation to be deposited

After using the AirAdvisor compensation checker, you should know exactly how much you’re entitled to claim. This amount will also be required in your letter. Also, pay attention to the airline's complaint submission timeframe before you submit your claim.

Two weeks (14 days) from your flight is ideal. If they don’t respond after 2-3 weeks, be sure to make a note of their failure to respond.

All the details about your flight and the flight disruption should be included in your flight delay compensation letter to avoid a claim denial due to a lack of information.

Aside from gathering all your specific information, you’ll need to do a little research and find the airline’s legal postal address. If you have any trouble finding the address, call the airline’s Customer Support for confirmation.

Additionally, it’s recommended that when it’s time to mail the letter, do so by registered post. Delivery confirmation and signature may become pertinent if you need to prove that the airline received your request for flight delay compensation and when.

When your flight is delayed you may submit a flight delay complaint letter and get compensation

Figuring out how much you are owed for a disrupted flight can be complicatedWe're here to help. Let us assess your compensation for you.Check Your Flight

When to send a flight delay letter

You should send a complaint letter to the airline for delayed flights only if the following criteria is met:

Your flight is delayed at the final destination by 3 hours or more
Your flight departs from an EU airport or is managed by an EU airline
Your flight delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather, airport personnel strikes, etc., but caused by technical problems, schedule inconsistencies, etc.

Remember that your flight may be eligible for compensation whether it was domestic or international, or your travel purpose (leisure or business). For some international flights, you may also have the right to compensation under the Montreal Convention.

If you have any doubts about your eligibility or how to complete a flight delay compensation letter template, get in touch with our legal team. We will manage the entire claims process for you.

How to Write a Flight Delay Complaint Letter (Free Template)

Young girl is searching how to write a flight delay complaint letter on her laptop

It’s not always easy to craft your own flight delay letter, and luckily, we can help with that. It’s easy to forget certain bits of information, so below is a sample template of the ideal format for a flight delay compensation letter with spaces for all the necessary information.

Date: [Date of Letter Writing]

RE: [Add Your Booking Reference Number and Passenger Names]

Dear Sir/Madam,

According to Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, Article 7, I am writing to notify you of my intention to claim compensation for the flight delay I incurred on [flight date] on flight [flight number], and for your reference, my reservation number is [booking number].

The flight was scheduled to depart from [departure airport] at [originally scheduled departure time] and arrive at my final destination [arrival airport] at [originally scheduled arrival time], but it was delayed upon arrival at [arrival airport] by [delay length] hours. You will find a copy of my travel documents for your reference attached.

I can confirm that this delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances.

As a result, I(we), the ticketed passenger(s), are entitled to €[compensation amount] in compensation. It is expected that I will receive the full amount of this compensation within the next 14 days.

Please deposit the compensation into my bank account directly, the details of which are as follows:

Account Holder (full name):

IBAN:

BIC/SWIFT:

Account currency:

A reply from you within 14 days is required, and if nothing is received, I will need to escalate this issue and seek immediate legal counsel.

Sincerely,

[Signature and Your Name]

[Your email/mailing Address and Phone Number]

This letter can be printed and mailed or can act as a flight delay compensation email template (UK and EU applicable).

Expect To Be Turned Down

It’s not uncommon for airlines to turn you down once you’ve made your first request. Simply put, they do this because they think they can get away with it. And, since many passengers don’t know their rights regarding flight delay compensation, the airlines often succeed at giving passengers the brush-off.

Other than being persistent, you have other tools at your disposal.

AirAdvisor is a company you definitely want in your corner when you’re requesting flight delay compensation, especially if you’ve already been denied once. We have an experienced legal team who have been defending passenger’s rights since 2017. So, we know exactly what your rights are and how to make sure the airlines comply with EU 261/2004 legislation.

The good news is that passengers who seek professional help from AirAdvisor are much more likely to get a positive result than if they go it alone. After all, AirAdvisor is one of the best flight delay compensation companies around. Best of all, AirAdvisor doesn’t charge a fee unless your claim is successful, so you really have nothing to lose.

You Can Also Fill Out the Airline’s Form

Sometimes, sending an official letter may not be the appropriate first step to seeking compensation. Depending on the airline you’re dealing with, you may find a flight delay compensation form that’s easily accessible on their website.

You might find a PDF form that you download and complete, or a click-through form where you fill out fields and attach documents directly on the airline’s website. Regardless of how you submit your flight delay compensation form, make sure you get confirmation that it’s been received, either via email or by printing or taking a screenshot of the submission page.

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FAQ

What do I write in a flight delay claim?

You need to include each passenger’s name, your flight details, the scheduled departure and arrival times, the length of the delay, and your bank account info for reimbursement. You should also be very clear about the amount you expect to receive and give the airline a specific timeframe in which to respond. A response within 14 days is typically recommended. Otherwise, things can really drag out.

How do you write an email for delayed flight compensation?

Like mailing a letter, you want to ensure you have the correct email address for the airline’s flight delay compensation department. Check with them if you’re unsure; otherwise, your email could get bounced around or ignored altogether. If you can, put a read receipt confirmation on the email to confirm it’s been received and read.

For the email’s content, you can use the same template as you would for a printed flight delay compensation letter. That way, you won’t miss out on any of the required information. Copy and paste is your friend here!

How do I ask for compensation for a delayed flight?

Formally. Don’t call the airline and expect to receive anything. Airlines are often too quick to deny claims for flight delay compensation, so you need to make a formal request in writing using the sample here or a letter of your own creation that contains all the same information.

Alternatively, AirAdvisor can assist you with the entire process if you’d rather not do it all yourself.

How do I write a claim to an airline?

Use the flight compensation template we’ve provided, find the airline’s official (and legal) mailing address, and send them your request via registered mail. Remember, if you get denied, be committed to honouring what you’ve stated in your letter and pursue further action with AirAdvisor or hire a lawyer.