Even an hour of flight delay is annoying, let alone 12 hours – thankfully European law and Regulation EC261 have you covered – you can claim up to 600 EUR in flight delay compensation!
Sadly, flight disruption has become a more and more frequent occurrence, especially with budget companies which overbook a flight or have flexible flight scheduling – ground teams rarely have the chance to react on time.
I have a delay of 12 hours, what can I do
For a better understanding of the issue, all airline companies see a flight delay not as a departure delay, but as an arrival delay – meaning that if you’ve been scheduled to arrive at 12PM, but you land at 12AM you are eligible for 12-hour flight delay compensation.
According to passenger rights and Regulation EC261, you have the right to claim compensation after a 3 hour arrival delay if the company is found responsible.
How can I be certain that the company is responsible for the delay
Companies rarely outright lie about the reasons for the delay, however, they will try and claim unforeseen circumstances in order to avoid paying out 300 passengers their 250 EUR compensation.
In order to get a good understanding of the situation you must take statements from the flight crew and team members before the departure for the reason of the delay.
There are many times where passengers have been given vague explanations and their cases of flight delay compensations have reached courts due to companies withholding information. But what are the circumstances in which a company can refuse compensation? They are as follows:
- Air traffic control strikes;
- Security risks and concerns;
- Dangerous weather;
- Medical emergencies;
- Unforeseen circumstances (like the global Covid-19 pandemic).
These are the circumstances under which a company is not responsible simply because of the nature of the situation – it’s out of their control.
Provided other companies departing from the same airport have given better alternatives or information to passengers, you are eligible for some compensation, up to 600 EUR, depending on the flight distance.
When can you claim 12-hour flight delay compensation
When the company is found responsible for the delay in the cases where they have control of the circumstances but have not taken appropriate action to prevent delays, especially 12-hour ones.
- Ground crew strikes;
- Scheduling mishaps;
- Refueling and luggage delays;
- Mechanical malfunctions of aircraft;
- Overbooking.
These are the cases where a company is 100% at fault and needs to provide you with appropriate accommodations like refreshments or vouchers for food. When it’s an overnight stay they need to provide accommodations like hotels or motel rooms within reason – you can also get reimbursement if they can’t provide it now.
How can you claim your 12-hour flight delay compensation
You either need to contact the company or use a lawyer to push your claim, however, due to the vague nature of some of the criteria like „unforeseen circumstances“, companies can claim they are not at fault.
The amount you should expect for a 12-hour delay depends on the distance, you should expect anywhere between 250EUR and 600EUR if the flight distance is more than 3,500km.
How can Colibra help you claim your 12-hour flight delay compensation
We’ve created an app which connects travelers from all around the EU who have experienced flight delays and are sick and tired of companies refusing to pay.
With us you always get a payout even if the flight arrival is only 1 hour delayed and the company is not at fault – it’s the miracle of community work – with us you get consistent payouts each time.
Information By Flight Type – Learn more about your rights!
Information By Delay Duration – Learn more about your rights!
- Flight Delay Compensation
- 1 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 2 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 3 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 4 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 5 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 6 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 7 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 8 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 10 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
- 24 Hour Flight Delay Compensation
