Airline Compensation Guides — Know Exactly What You Are Owed by Carrier
Every airline flying to, from, or within the EU and the European Common Aviation Area must comply with EU Regulation 261/2004. That means up to €600 per passenger when your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked — regardless of how little you paid for your ticket. But not every airline handles claims the same way. Find your carrier below to read a full guide covering compensation amounts, typical claim behaviour, and the most effective path to payment.
Flying from the Balkans? Your Rights Are Stronger Than You Think
Most passengers travelling from Tirana, Belgrade, Pristina, Skopje, Podgorica, or Sarajevo assume they have no compensation rights or that European passenger law simply does not apply to them.
Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are all members of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA). Under the ECAA agreement, the core protections of EU Regulation 261/2004 apply to qualifying flights from these airports too.
When Wizz Air delays your Tirana-London flight by four hours, or when Ryanair cancels your Pristina-Milan service at short notice, the same legal framework that protects passengers across the EU protects you too.
Because EU-registered airlines like Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet operate many Balkan routes, passengers flying to Balkan airports on those carriers can still retain full EC261 rights.
How Airline Compensation Works Under EC261
EU Regulation 261/2004 entitles you to a fixed cash payment when your flight is significantly disrupted. It does not matter whether you paid €9 or €900 for the ticket.
Delays of 3 hours or more
Compensation applies if your flight arrived at its final destination three or more hours late.
Cancellations with less than 14 days' notice
If the airline cancelled your flight and told you fewer than 14 days before departure, you may be entitled to compensation in addition to refund or rerouting rights.
Denied boarding and overbooking
When a passenger is removed involuntarily despite holding a valid confirmed ticket and checking in on time, the EC261 compensation amount applies automatically.
Missed connections on the same booking
If a delay caused you to miss a connecting flight on the same reservation, your rights are assessed based on the total delay at your final destination.
Compensation Amounts — Fixed by Distance, Not by Ticket Price
| Flight distance | Min. delay at destination | Compensation per passenger | UK equivalent (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 3 hours or more | €250 | ~£220 |
| 1,500 km - 3,500 km | 3 hours or more | €400 | ~£350 |
| Over 3,500 km | 3-4 hours | €300 (reduced) | ~£260 |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours or more | €600 | ~£520 |
Amounts are per passenger and are not reduced based on ticket price, booking channel, or fare class.
EC261 compensation is a statutory cash right. A voucher offer is not the same thing as your legal compensation entitlement.
Not sure what your flight is worth? Enter your flight number and travel date. We check EC261 eligibility, route distance, and airline liability in under 2 minutes.
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Airline Compensation Guides
FlyClaimer covers major carriers operating routes to and from the Western Balkans and EU airports. Each guide explains the carrier's typical claim-handling behaviour and the most effective path to payment.
The dominant carrier on Balkan routes including Tirana, Pristina, Skopje, Belgrade, and Sarajevo. A Hungarian EU airline fully covered by EC261. Wizz Air claims often need escalation.
Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers. As an Irish EU carrier, Ryanair is fully covered by EC261 and is known for aggressive first-stage rejections.
The UK's largest budget airline with routes to Tirana, Belgrade, and across the Mediterranean. Most easyJet claims fall in the €250-€400 band.
Albania's charter and scheduled carrier operating from Tirana and other Albanian airports, covered under ECAA passenger protection rules.
IAG Group's Spanish budget carrier with growing routes from Balkan airports to Barcelona and beyond. Fully covered by EC261 as a Spanish EU airline.
Scandinavian low-cost carrier with full EC261 coverage across its European network. Claims are usually straightforward when actual arrival time data is documented properly.
Albania's national carrier operating from Tirana International. Covered under ECAA rules and especially relevant for passengers departing from TIA.
Serbia's national carrier operating from Belgrade Nikola Tesla. EC261 applies to EU departures, while ECAA rules apply at BEG.
A major connecting carrier for Balkan passengers travelling onward via Istanbul. EC261 applies to Turkish Airlines flights departing from EU airports, not from IST.
Germany's flag carrier with key routes connecting Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Skopje to Frankfurt and onward long-haul destinations.
Lufthansa Group's Austrian subsidiary operating connecting routes from Vienna to Sarajevo, Belgrade, and beyond. Missed connections through VIE are common claim scenarios.
The UK's largest full-service airline. Post-Brexit, UK261 applies to BA flights departing from the UK with equivalent compensation levels.
Greece's largest airline with important routes connecting Balkan cities to Athens and the wider Mediterranean network.
The UAE flagship carrier. EC261 applies to Emirates flights departing from EU airports, but not to flights departing from Dubai.
What Airlines Are Not Allowed to Do When You File a Claim
- Refuse payment because your ticket was cheap
- Force you to accept a travel voucher instead of cash
- Cite weather without specific verifiable evidence
- Ignore your claim or fail to respond
- Reduce compensation based on fare class or status
- Severe weather making flying genuinely unsafe, with evidence
- ATC strikes or air traffic control restrictions
- Airport-wide security incidents or closures
- Replacement flight arriving within EC261 time windows
- Natural disasters or political instability
Airline rejected your claim? It is not over.
A first rejection is not a final answer. Most valid claims that are initially rejected succeed on escalation.
No win, no fee. You pay nothing unless compensation is recovered.
How to File a Compensation Claim: Step by Step
Document everything at the airport
Photograph the departure board, keep your boarding pass, and keep itemised receipts for meals, hotels, or taxis.
Verify your actual arrival time
The three-hour threshold is measured at final destination arrival, not departure.
Check eligibility before filing
Confirm the route falls under EC261 or ECAA jurisdiction and that no genuine extraordinary circumstance applies.
Submit your claim
File directly with the airline or use a no-win-no-fee claims partner if the carrier is known for high initial rejection rates.
Escalate if rejected
A rejection is not the final word. Escalation can include the relevant national enforcement body, ADR, or small claims court.
A Note on Baggage Rights — A Different Legal Framework
Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage is covered by the Montreal Convention, not EU Regulation 261/2004. That means a disrupted journey can create two separate claims.
Our lost and delayed baggage guide explains how that process works and why the Property Irregularity Report is so important.