Airline compensation for a disrupted flight
If a flight in the last three years was delayed, cancelled, or you were denied boarding, you may be entitled to compensation of €250–€600 from the airline.
The entitlement comes from EU Regulation 261/2004. It applies to any departure from an EU airport, and to arrivals into the EU on a European carrier.
How to file a claim with a specific airline
Each airline has its own claim process. The general flow is similar:
- Find the EC 261 claim form on the airline’s website.
- Fill it in in English. Attach copies of the ticket, boarding pass and any receipts.
- Wait — airlines typically take 6–8 weeks.
- If they reject or ignore you, hand the case to Refundio.
The most common airlines and how they handle claims
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish-headquartered low-cost carrier and fully subject to EC 261/2004. Claims are filed through an online form on its website. Rejections are above average — Ryanair routinely invokes “extraordinary circumstances” even when the entitlement is clearly there. More on the airlines page.
Wizz Air
Wizz Air is a Hungarian low-cost carrier. Claims go through the customer centre or an online form. Communication tends to drag and the first rejection is very common. Even so, in genuine cases compensation can be recovered. More on the airlines page.
Smartwings
Smartwings (formerly Travel Service) is a major charter carrier. Claims go through their customer form. Charter flights as part of a package holiday are fully covered by EU 261/2004. More on the airlines page.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is one of the larger carriers with established processes for handling claims. Claims go through the customer portal. Cases are usually processed in a structured way, though the first automatic rejection is common. More on the airlines page.
Full airline directory and compensation guides
Detailed guides on how the claim process works at each carrier are in the Airlines section. Each guide covers carrier-specific tactics, typical excuses, and what actually works.
Why use Refundio?
Airlines reject up to 60–80 % of claims filed directly by passengers. A large share of those rejections are unjustified. Refundio takes the case, verifies the flight data and the real cause of the delay, and if the airline is at fault, escalates legally — at no cost to you.
- Free claim assessment
- No win, no fee (35 % commission only if we win)
- In some cases, we pay you upfront — no waiting on the airline