A travel blogger has recommended two avenues to explore for anyone who has been hit with flight delays – but travellers must check they are eligible first
A savvy travel blogger has shared a genius tip that could see delayed passengers “successfully claim up to £520” in compensation.
Known as The Travel Mum, the blogger has chucked a lifeline to delayed flyers by sharing a genius tip that could see passengers forced to wait hours for their flights recoup some money.
Addressing her huge 417,000 TikTok following, she highlights how often travellers with airlines like Ryanir, TUI and easyJet are missing out on their entitled reimbursements. “Is there anything worse than getting to the airport and finding out your flight has been delayed?” she asked. “Well, here is a little hack to make sure you get the compensation you are owed.”
The Travel Mum added: “Most families don’t realise they could be owed up to £520 per person after a delay. A huge 52% of valid claims get wrongly rejected by the airlines for all sorts of reasons.”
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The Travel mum recommended AirHelp, a stellar online service that eases the task of claiming compensation for inconvenienced passengers facing delays, cancellations, and overbookings. The platform, boasting an impressive 4.6-star rating on Trustpilot, says it has supported more than 2.7 million people in successfully claiming.
While users can utilise a free compensation checker on the platform to see potential pay-outs, securing the cash with AirHelp’s guidance isn’t cost-free – although they tempt with a ‘no win, no fee’ option, a 35% slice of the pay-out is the standard charge if the claim is successful, reports the Daily Record.
You can opt for an AirHelp+ annual membership from just £34.99 a year, dodging any deductions from your compensation payouts. With AirHelp, the burden of paperwork and negotiation is lifted from your shoulders, regardless of the fee plan you choose; they even cover all court costs up to an incredible £1,000.
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The Travel mum added: “AirHelp is great because they know what they are talking about, and they will handle the whole claims process for you. They will even take the airline to court if they are denying you what you are owed.”
It’s worth noting, though, that you can lodge a claim yourself at no cost, without involving AirHelp. Reaching out directly to airlines – each with their unique claims protocol – is one way to go about it. Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert offers bountiful tips and a handy, free-to-use online tool for lodging and tracking complaints.
Before you get carried away, make sure you’re eligible for a payout. Certain conditions need to be met, such as cancellations within a fortnight of departure, strikes by airline staff, or when the disturbance is the airline’s responsibility. However, remember that uproarious weather, political turmoil, volcanic ash clouds and security issues don’t make the cut for compensation claims.
If you’re jetting off from a UK or EU airport, or with a UK or EU-based airline landing in these zones, your flight should be protected by EU and UK compensation rules. This also applies if you’ve booked through a travel agency or tour operator.
However, any flight provider or airport outside the EU may have different rules. For more details, check out MSE’s compensation guide or visit AirHelp.