Free Flight Delay Compensation Letter Template

Reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

No one wants their flight delayed. Travelling can be difficult at the best of times, and when you’re one of the unlucky passengers who experiences a flight delay, that can make everything worse. From missed connections to extra costs for food and hotel accommodation, the headache and expenses can soon mount up.

To minimize the impact of a flight delay, airlines must offer compensation to passengers according to the EU 261/2004 Regulation. This is good news, but unfortunately, the process to claim said compensation isn’t always easy. While it’s hard to know where to start, 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. Use AirAdvisor’s free flight compensation checker to know exactly what you’ll request from the airline. It will be important to be specific in your compensation letter, and if you don’t qualify, you won’t waste any more time. Here’s everything you need to know about writing a delay compensation letter to an airline:

What Information Should You Include in a Flight Delay Compensation Letter

Before you start writing anything, make sure you have all your documents handy. You’ll need the following:

• 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 number will also be required in your letter. You also need to be clear about the airline's timeframe to reply. Two weeks (14 days) is ideal. And outline the consequences of their falling to respond - this is usually pursuing legal action against them.

All of these items 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. Above all, once you take the time to write the letter, you want it to end up at the right place. If you have any doubts, call the airline’s Customer Support for confirmation.

Additionally, it’s recommended that when it’s time to mail the letter, you 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 can I send a flight delay letter? Eligibility of my flight

This is important to know when your case is eligible for compensation. You should send a complaint letter to the airline for delayed flight only if the following criteria are met:

• your flight is delayed to 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 is not due to extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather, airport personnel strikes, etc., but due to the airline’s faults such as technical problems, schedule inconsistencies, etc.

Remember that your flight may be eligible regardless of its type (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 fill in a flight delay compensation letter template, get in touch with our expert team. We will manage the claiming process for you.

Find out if you are owed compensation for a disrupted flight.Check Your Flight 

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

It’s not always easy to craft your own flight delay letter, and luckily, we can help with that. It’s easy to leave something important out, 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), am (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 definitely a company you 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 and valuable information that’s easily available on our website. We know exactly what your rights are and how to make sure the airlines comply with the 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 on the market. And since AirAdvisor doesn’t charge a fee unless your claim is successful, you really have nothing to lose.

Disrupted flight? You might have a right to many benefits including cash compensation of up to €600 ($700).Check Your Flight

You Can Also Fill Out a Form

Sometimes, sending an official letter may not be the appropriate first step to seeking compensation. Depending on the airline you’re applying to, you may find a flight delay compensation form that’s easily accessible on their website. This might be a pdf form that you download and fill out 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.

FAQ

Here are a few of the most common questions asked related to the flight delay compensation process and drafting a flight delay compensation letter:

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.