If you fit the criteria above you can make a claim using our new free online reclaim tool, which uses technology from complaints site Resolver. Alternatively, you can use our free template letters.
Who does the tool work best for?
The flight delay tool is best for anyone with an EU claim who, if rejected by their airline, would go on to complain to the Civil Aviation Authority. This covers
- Anyone whose flight departed from the UK.
- Anyone who arrived in the UK on a UK/EU airline, from outside the EU.
However, while Resolver will escalate your complaint to the CAA, you are still likely to be asked by the CAA to fill in its own complaints form.
Who should consider using MSE’s template letters rather than the tool?
Anyone with an EU claim, who if rejected by their airline would go on to complain to a (non-UK) EU regulator, may be better off using our free template letters. This covers
- Everyone not included in the categories above you can still use Resolver to go to the airline, but a function it’s added to take you to different regulators is still untested.
- Those who flew on an EU airline from outside the EU to somewhere in the EU other than the UK (eg, KLM from New York to Amsterdam) you can still use Resolver to go to the airline, but if your claim is rejected, Resolver currently escalates it to the wrong regulator.
Use our free tool to apply for EU flight compensation
Our free online tool helps drafts the letter for you, tells you when you’ve been sent a response, keeps track of your complaint and escalates it if necessary.
We do this using the complaints firm Resolver, which provides the technology, but the underlying template letters and logic behind it are ours. We’re working with Resolver on many projects to combine our expertise on how to complain with its cutting-edge technology.
Enter your details to claim EC regulation 261/2004 compensation:
Resolver will remind you to escalate your claim within the airline and, if necessary, to the appropriate regulator after eight weeks (though if your complaint is escalated to the Civil Aviation Authority, you are still likely to be asked to fill in the CAA’s own complaints form.)
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How long should my claim take? There’s no set timescale but typically 4-12 weeks – airlines are likely to be dealing with large numbers of claims at present though. - Can’t find your airline? A few airlines aren’t yet covered. If you can’t find yours, Resolver says airlines can be added to the tool quickly if you alert it via the Resolver website or by emailing support@resolver.co.uk. If you don’t want to wait, you’ll need to complain directly.
- Unhappy with Resolver? We don’t have a lot of feedback on Resolver so far, but most we’ve seen on flight delay reclaims is positive. Read past feedback and leave your own on our Resolver forum thread. For more on how we work with Resolver see our full Resolver guide.
Or use our free template letters
If you decide not to use Resolver, you can submit your complaint directly, using our free template letters to help. (If you have used Resolver but want to escalate your complaint directly, jump to Step 2 below.)
Step 1: Complain to the airline
Different airlines have different procedures for claiming. Some will list email or postal addresses you need to send a written claims letter to, others will ask you to fill in an online claims form. So check what method your airline wants you to use before claiming.
Just remember in both scenarios to explain what went wrong and state what you want in terms of compensation and/or reimbursement. You can use these links to double-check if your flight was delayed for over three hours and how far the flight distance was. Both affect the compensation.
Remember to say you want compensation under:
EC regulation 261/2004
It’s important you do this – quoting the law each time lets airlines know you’re serious.
Use our free template letters to complain
If you need to send a written complaint, you can use our free template letters, which are based on information from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Even if you’re asked to fill in an online complaints form you can use our template letter or segments of it to help your claim. Download using the following links: Delayed flights template letter and Cancelled flights template letter.
Remember, it’s the operator of the flight, rather than the firm you booked with, which is responsible when things go wrong. So if you booked a ticket via Qantas, but were on a BA plane, then as BA operated the flight, it’s responsible if anything goes wrong.
Here’s a table linking to all airline complaints pages, which will explain whether you need to get in touch by writing, or by using online complaints forms.
If your airline’s not listed above, go to its website or call to find out the best way to make a claim.
If you’re successful, hurrah! As compensation for flight delays is set at specific levels depending on the flight delay and length, there’s really only two outcomes here – you’ve received the correct amount and your claim is now over, or your claim has been rejected (in which case see Step 2 below).
Step 2: Claim rejected or put on hold by the airline? Take it to the regulator
