Online help for situations right at the airport

Got a flight delayed by more than three hours, a delay that kept you from making a connecting flight, a canceled flight, or luggage that arrived damaged or not at all? What can you do right at the airport and what are your rights as part of EU Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 and beyond?

Online help in the event of a delayed flight

If you are at the airport and your flight is experiencing a delay, see the variants below, you are entitled to or may ask for refreshments and food , if the airline has not offered this to you. You also are entitled to two telephone calls free of charge. In the event that your flight is deferred to the next day as a result of the delay, you are entitled to accommodations in a hotel free of charge and passage to the hotel and back. Claims are incurred for flights that are delayed:

  • More than two hours and your flight covers a distance of 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is within the EU and is longer than 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is to anywhere from or outside within the EU and is a distance from 1500 km to 3500 km or
  • More than four hours

Our tip:

If you meet the requirements above and the airline has not offered this to you, or if the situation at the airport does not provide you with access to the airline, you can take care of everything at your own cost. The airline will then be liable for compensating these costs. Regardless of the reason the delay took place.

Moreover, in the case of a delay longer than 5 hours, you have the option to decide that you will not continue with the given flight. In this case you are entitled to compensation for the acquisition price of the airplane ticket. In the event that this was a connecting flight, the airline has the obligation to transport you free of charge back to the point of origin of your trip.

What to do at the airport

If you are not currently in the airport hall and you are waiting on the departure of your delayed flight, take a few minutes for the following actions. They will dramatically increase your chances for obtaining compensation for the delays and distress you are currently experiencing. In most cases, you can determine the majority of the information about the reasons for the delay on site:

  • Find an airline representative/counter or airport info desk and have a confirmation written of the delayed flight – ideally accompanied by the reasons for the delay
  • Take a picture incorporating a view from the airport hall to the airport surface outside for up-to-date information about the weather
  • If the pilot of the aircraft announces the reasons for the delay, record this into your mobile phone, or get confirmation from a flight attendant on board.
  • Once you reach your final destination, take a photo of the arrivals table where your flight number and final time of delay should be visible
Assistance card

Assistant card for Delayed flight of 3h +

Online help in the event of missing a connecting flight

In the event that you have now missed your connecting flight due to the delay of the previous flight, and you have both flights under one reservation number, the same conditions apply to you as in the case of a delayed flight (see above). It goes without saying that the airline is obligated to transport you to your final destination by way of an alternative flight.

If you have your flights under separate registration numbers, unfortunately these are considered individual flights and in this sense you may have to get the new flight and any accommodations at your own cost. You will not be able to claim compensation these costs.

Our tip:

Carefully examine your reservation and verify that this was indeed a single reservation. It’s not altogether uncommon that during the purchase of your ticket everything looks like a single reservation, but in reality it is not. If you are not sure, go to the counter of the company and verify your flight. Different reservations tend to occur with sellers like kiwi.com and azair.cz. We recommend going through this already at the time of your purchase; you will thereby avoid resulting difficulties and increased costs when waiting for the next possible flight.

Online help in the event of a canceled flight

If you’re at the airport and they just canceled your flight, you have the choice of two options:

  • Return of the cost of the airline tickets for the canceled flight and, if you are in the middle of your trip, you have a right to a return flight free of charge to your initial location or
  • Right to an alternative flight to your final destination

If you decide on an alternative flight, the same conditions apply for you as in the case of a delayed flight. That is, if the time of the planned departure of the alternative flight, and thereby the delay compared to the departure of your canceled flight is:

  • More than two hours and your flight covers a distance of 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is within the EU and is longer than 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is to anywhere from or outside within the EU and is a distance from 1500 km to 3500 km or
  • More than four hours

You are entitled to or may ask for refreshments and food, if the airline has not offered this to you. You also are entitled to two telephone calls free of charge. In the event that your alternative flight is planned for the next day, you are entitled to accommodations in a hotel free of charge and passage to the hotel and back.

Our tip:

If you meet the requirements above and the airline has not offered this to you, or if the situation at the airport does not provide you with access to the airline, you can take care of everything at your own cost. The airline will then be liable for compensating these costs. Regardless of the reason the delay took place.

What to do at the airport

If you are currently in the airport hall and they have just canceled your flight, take a few minutes for the following actions. They will dramatically increase your chances for obtaining compensation for the delays and distress you are currently experiencing; you will learn the most information about the reasons for the cancellation on site:

  • Find an airline representative/counter or airport info desk and have a confirmation written on the reasons for the delay flight
  • Take a picture incorporating a view from the airport hall to the airport surface outside for up-to-date information about the weather.

Online help in the event of denied boarding of the aircraft

If the air carrier is planning to deny you boarding due to insufficient space on board the aircraft, they will first try to solicit volunteers who will voluntarily give up their reservation. In this way the carrier will offer financial compensation to give incentive to the passenger to give up their seat. CAUTION! By accepting such an agreement, you automatically forfeit your later compensation. For the agreement to make sense on your part, do not accept a lower financial offer than the following:

  • EUR 250 for flight distance of up to 1500 km
  • EUR 400 for all flights within the EU and also with flight distance longer than 1500 km
  • EUR 400 for all flights outside EU destinations and also with flight distance between 1500 km and 3500 km
  • 600 EUR for all other flights

You will always obtain higher amounts from the airline as compensation for being denied boarding. CAUTION - this applies only to flights subject to European regulation. Outside of European regulations, the conditions vary on an individual basis.

In the event that the air carrier cannot find a sufficient number of passengers who will voluntarily give up their seats, they have the option to deny boarding to selected passengers against their will. During the subsequent selection of passengers who are to vacate the aircraft, the air carrier should pass over or deprioritize persons with limited motor functions and persons accompanying such persons.

If it happens to you that you draw the “short stick” on board the plane and must vacate the aircraft against your will, you are then entitled to:

  • An alternative flight free of charge to your final destination
  • compensation for the purchase price of the airline ticket (within 7 days) in the event that you do not take advantage of an alternative flight
  • if during the course of the flight you decide not to use the alternative flight to your final destination, you have the right to a return flight free of charge to the original departure location

If you decide on an alternative flight, the same conditions apply for you as in the case of a delayed flight. That is, if the time of planned departure of the alternative flight, and thereby the delay compared to the departure of your flight in which you were denied boarding the plane, is:

  • More than two hours and your flight covers a distance of 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is within the EU and is longer than 1500 km or
  • More than three hours and your flight is to anywhere from or outside within the EU and is a distance from 1500 km to 3500 km or
  • More than four hours

You are entitled to or may ask for refreshments and food, if the airline has not offered this to you. You also are entitled to two telephone calls free of charge. In the event that your alternative flight is planned for the next day, you are entitled to accommodations in a hotel free of charge and passage to the hotel and back.

Our tip:

If you meet the requirements above and the airline has not offered this to you, or if the situation at the airport does not provide you with access to the airline, you can take care of everything at your own cost. The airline will then be liable for compensating these costs. Regardless of the reason the delay took place.

At the same time, in the event that they deny you boarding, have a confirmation issued at the counter of the denial of your boarding due to overbooking (insufficient free spots on the plane).

Online help in the event of damaged luggage

In the event that you are at the airport and you have just been delivered luggage with visible damage, do not hesitate and look for a representative of the airline or the CLAIM BAGGAGE, BAGGAGE HANDLING DESK, or BAGGAGE SERVICE counters. Typically this counter is located near the baggage claim belts, where you will retrieve your luggage. If you cannot find this counter, go to the airport information desk and find out where it is.

Luggage claim

At the counter, prepare a protocol on damage to luggage, called a DAMAGED PROPERTY REPORT. To sign this protocol, prepare a baggage claim ticket or your flight ticket.

Our tip:

When compiling the report at the airport or, if you are having your luggage repaired, before handing it over, carefully photograph to damaged places and overall appearance of the luggage.

Once you have this, you no longer need to discuss anything at the airport and you can feel free to leave. You can file for subsequent compensation up to 3 years retroactively.

Online help in the event of delayed luggage

In the event that you are at the airport and you have just been delivered luggage with visible damage, do not hesitate and look for a representative of the airline or the CLAIM BAGGAGE, BAGGAGE HANDLING DESK, or BAGGAGE SERVICE counters. Typically this counter is located near the baggage claim belts, where you will retrieve your luggage. If you cannot find this counter, go to the airport information desk and find out where it is.

Luggage claim

At the counter, prepare a protocol on non-delivery of luggage, called a PROPERTY IRREGULARITY REPORT (PIR). To sign this protocol, prepare a baggage claim ticket or your flight ticket. In the protocol include the following:

  • Description of luggage
  • Luggage contents
  • Place or places where you will be located in approximately the next 21 days, or place where the air carrier is to deliver your luggage once found
  • Phone and email contact where you can be reached
Card PIR report

PIR report

Once you have this, you no longer need to discuss anything at the airport and you can feel free to leave.

If you are outside your home destination, you now have a right to purchase essential items for enduring the time when your luggage is returned to you. Essential items include, for example:

Basic clothing
underwear
Hygiene and toiletry
supplies
Necessary medications
Necessary items for children
(diapers, etc.)

Also necessary items for the purpose of your trip:

  • if you are on vacation by the beach, then bathing suits or tanning creams
  • if you are on a business trip and you have business meetings, then shirts, pants, skirt, etc.

Watch our for the following:

  • receipts for absolutely necessary items were dated during the time when your luggage still had not been returned (otherwise this won’t be paid later), at the same time
  • you have saved receipts (without a receipt nothing will be compensated) and for the maximum amount for the receipts provided not to exceed EUR 1220 for luggage (this is the maximum amount that can be claimed)

Once your baggage has been returned, it is necessary to claim compensation for your extra costs with the airline within 21 days of this date. Subsequent claims will not be recognized.

Online help in the event of lost luggage

If you are at the airport and you have just discovered that the airline has not delivered your luggage, and you are certain it is lost, follow the directions described above with the delayed luggage. The status of lost luggage takes effect no sooner than 21 days from the date of your flight. For now this technically consists of delayed luggage.

Our tip:

Print our assistance card for unforeseeable circumstances at the airport and you will always be prepared to defend your rights

Assistance card

References

5.0

Dnes mi přišla finanční kompenzace v maximální výši. Ještě jednou moc děkuji a vřele vás všem doporučím!

Kateřina Vučkovska

Děkuji za kladné vyřízení naší reklamace zpoždění letu, i když to vypadalo beznadějně. Pro Váš tým to beznadějné nebylo.

Romana Šímová

Super rychlá komunikace, vše kvalitně popsáno.. díky Vám máme max. možnou částku za zrušený let, vyřízení bylo ani ne do měsíce.
Proste parada, mohu doporucit kazdemu ... 

Lukáš Vítek

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Adam Lebeda

Velice děkujeme této společnosti za perfektní vyřízení reklamace našeho zpožděného letu. Výše částky, která nám byla vyplacena nás mile překvapila. 100% doporučujeme.

Daniela Hagarová

Ještě jednou velmi děkuji za pomoc :-) Reklamace byla úspěšně po 2 měsících vyřízena. Komunikace na skvělé úrovni. Pokud budete chtít reklamovat letenku, určitě doporučuji přes tuto společnost!

Leona Cinerová

Dobrý den, i já se připojuji s pochvalou za úspěšné vyřízení reklamace za zpožděný let a nejen do nového roku přeji hodně úspěchů a pevné nervy u dalších reklamací. Díky.

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Velké poděkování týmu ClaimCloud za perfektní vyřízení naší reklamace zpožděného letu. Kompenzace v maximální možné výši je na našem účtu. Jupííííí. Díky:)

Pavlína Perháčová 

Děkuji moc za kladné vyřízení mého letu do Paříže, kde jsme byli nuceni letět přes Ženevu.

Pavel Kůla

Děkuji za rychlé a kladné vyřízení reklamace zpožděného letu, kvůli kterému jsme nestihli let navazující. Profesionální přístup a okamžité zaslání kompenzace.

Lenka Hrbáčová

Ďakujeme veľmi pekne za pomoc, bez komplikácii a promptné riešenie. Skvelé služby, zatiaľ spokojnosť. Odporúčam.

Filip Fipo Klimko

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