FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are in a stressful situation, probably in the airport, and your flight was cancelled or delayed, here is some good advice:

• Send us an email with title URGENT and we will try to suspend other jobs and help you as quickly as possible.
• Keep all receipts of your expenses (food, taxi, hotel, etc).
• For now, as general rule, do not accept a ticket refund or claim compensation (you have 3-6 years for that). Be cautious to settle with the airline because you can lose your right to expenses, replacement flight and compensation. Each case is different, please use our free support service.
• Keep calm and use your spare time to browse this site and learn your rights as a passenger.
• Inform other passengers about our free support service (or just send us their email addresses, if they agree). A group has more strength and we can make better use of our resources, reducing costs and increasing success chances.

What can I claim?
Depending on the situation, for each passenger you can get:
– compensation of 250€ or 400€ or €600 (depends on the flight distance)  plus
– ticket refund or flight rerouting   plus
– food/drinks/taxi/bus/hotel expenses    plus
– urgent extras like cleaning, medicamenta, underwear,
You must keep all proving tickets.

Why claim using Aireclaim?

• We are an EU company, working under European Union rigorous laws. We are supported and audited by EU Structural and Investment Funds. Unlike some other companies, we do not hide behind a P.O.Box address or somewhere in Hong-Kong or Panama, and our “about us” section really says something about us.
• We have the knowledge, tools, experience and we know all the tricks. We can understand, check and argue back the technical and legal arguments that airlines usually present to avoid paying.
• We have a proved history of success, reliability and honesty. Just check other passenger’s opinions here. As you know, we cannot edit or select these reviews. (By the way, note that almost all ratings bellow 5* are due to a long airline processing time, though some people do not understand it and blame us).
• Our work is free if we fail. Only after success we get 30%, much less than a lawyer would charge you. He also would charge you upon defeat, but we don’t.
• Airlines know that we are professionals, and that we can detect if they cheat. They know that passengers will not investigate, argue back or go to court, but we will.
• We can group several claims for the same flight providing a stronger position, and also benefiting lower shared efforts and expenses.

No bureaucracy ?

You don’t need to go through bureaucracy and expenses. You won’t even need to print documents, sign and certify or waste money registering mail. Everything is done online, legally and safely.

All you need to send us (if available) is your flight booking or ticket and invoices of your expenses. Your ID document is optional under new EU rules. You can upload it while claiming in this site or send it later when you have more free time.
Our terms are clear, have no jargon and are very easy to read and understand. Your approval is made signing a simple document using your mouse or finger, then we can legally work for you on your behalf.

Who bears the costs of the claim?
We do. We pay all costs of pursuing the claim including any court or enforcement fees, whatever the result is.

How much do you charge ?

We are paid 30% but only IF and AFTER we succeed, otherwise our work and expenses will be free (for you).
You will get 70% of the total amount obtained (fees and fiscal taxes might be due, according to T&C page).
Our share will be deducted from the airline’s payment (in some cases the passenger receives from the airline and sends us our  share).

Can I claim by myself?

Yes, you can claim yourself or through your lawyer. In such case a very low tax of success (2%) is to be expected.  If failure is almost sure, why choose that way?
Anyway, our fee worths all that trouble that you will avoid.

Many passengers that tried to claim alone report that the airline just ignored the claim or presented technical / legal arguments that they could not understand,  check or contest. A lawyer would charge more than the claimed amount, and even in case of failure.

If you claim alone you will have a lot of difficulties and waste a lot of time. You need to study rulings, judgments, procedures, local and international laws, and after all you may not do it the best way, a denial is very probable and you will weaken deeply your case and jeopardize your position in case you later claim through us.

Shall I claim while in the airport ?

Airports and airlines are required to offer claiming services, local and online.
However you have 3 or more years to claim and you are in a stressful situation, so your judgement might not be the same as if you do it later in a more relaxed environment, after being better informed.

We have seen many passengers wasting some of their rights because they rush to claim and settle with the airline (for example inadvertently releasing the airline from their duty to pay all expenses).

Usually it is wiser to claim using our services, but you can decide that later.

Shall I settle with the airline?

No.
Their offer is the best for them, so, very likely not the best for you.
We highly specialize in passenger rights and we have a long experience, so obviously we are in a position much better than yours to get you a better deal.
Airlines must defend their own position. We will always protect yours.

The airline says that I don’t need you.

Only one airline says that, and you will know that we made a good job and succeeded, in case they send you an email saying that you don’t need us and you would receive more if you had claimed directly to them.

They obviously do not say that in such case most probably your compensation would have been denied.
The proof (and you can easily search statistics): almost always that airline loses cases that are escalated to Court or to Aviation Regulatory Agencies because their justification to deny payment is rejected as false and abusive.
If their denials were honest, their success rate upon litigation would be near 100%  instead near zero, wouldn’t it ?

Some airlines respect the legal rights of their passengers, however others do not care at all and use all dirty tricks to increase income, like charging hidden costs, avoiding compensations, etc. That includes sending emails mocking adult passengers decisions on how to handle their affairs.

Understandably they hate claiming firms and fight us furiously. If we did not exist they would save many millions monthly, just saying “no, you are not entitled”.  You, the passenger would not know how to argue back, but we know and we do.

Because of a small flight delay I missed the next fligh. Can I claim?

Yes if both flights belong to the same booking, and the airline failed to re-route you to your final destination, or did it but you arrived 3 hours or more later than expected.
Only the airline’s actions are accountable, meaning that if you managed to arrive less than 3 hours late because you buyed yourself a new ticket in other airline, you still are entitled to be compensated and refunded (but not for the new ticket price) .

My problem was long ago, can I still submit a claim?

Usually claims can be submitted up to 3 years after the flight date, however things are different in each country.
For example, in the UK you have 6 years (5 years in Scotland). Please email and explain us your case.

What if I cancel my flight myself?

If you cancel your flight or fail to check-in, then ruling 261/04 will not apply, so you must then consult the airline’s conditions about refund.  You can also check your insurances, including some that you might not be aware of, like those included in credit cards or travel assistance.

If you do not fly, you can ask refund for unused airport taxes, however most airlines charge heavily that service and your balance will be negative.

Note that you can quit your flight after a delay of 5 hours upon depart and still enjoy all the Rights mentioned elsewhere in this site, even if the flight is flown (without you).

Many airlines will cancel also the return flight if it belongs to the same booking. This is not illegal, though some new EU laws might appear soon forbidding such behaviour.
You can avoid this creating different bookings for outbound and return flights however in such case your return flight  will not be refunded in case the outbound one fails.

Can I submit claims for other people?

Yes, you can help your family or friends receive their compensations.

If they belong to your booking you can include them while filing the claim in this site. They will need to sign a document later, or now using your device. Not for children, as they are represented by their guardian.
For friends with other booking code another claim must be filed. We can contact them instead, just send us their email addresses.

Your case has a better chance of success if we have many claims in the same flight, so it is better for everybody (oops, except the airline) if you talk to other passengers and everybody joins.

My boss payed the ticket. Can I receive the compensation?

Yes.
Compensation and expenses with “care” are rights of the passenger who suffered the problem, not of who payed the bill. However in case of ticket refund, payment usually is made to the same credit card that was used to pay the ticket.

I am not an european citizen. Can I reclaim?

Yes, no matter your nationality or residence.
You must make sure to provided us a way to send you the money. Besides SEPA bank transfer, other methods of payment might be accepted. Payment is made in euros by law, so banks might charge you some fees to convert to your currency.  If you have a friend holding an EU bank account, we can transfer your money to him upon yours and his approvals.

I agree. Now, what?

You can quickly check if you are entitled pressing the “check your compensation”.
If yes, next you will be allowed to lodge your claim now in a few quick steps, or do it later in case you are not ready now.
Then we will take care of your case and will keep you informed. No payment required, easy, quick.

That’s all.  Just relax and let us work for you.