Top UK & Ireland Airlines Asked to Reopen Over Half of Compensation Claims That They Have Denied in the First Instance, According to AirHelp

Figures are revealed following a comprehensive study¹ of its own claims submitted to the 46 biggest airlines globally. Figures are revealed following a comprehensive study¹ of its own claims submitted to the 46 biggest airlines globally. Around 1 million Brits each year are eligible to claim compensation under European legislation (EC261) following flight disruption but over half (54%) of claims against UK &Irelandairlines made between1 January 2016and31 December 2018, were...

Figures are revealed following a comprehensive study¹ of its own claims submitted to the 46 biggest airlines globally.

Around 1 million Brits each year are eligible to claim compensation under European legislation (EC261) following flight disruption but over half (54%) of claims against UK & Ireland airlines made between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018, were denied by airlines and had to be re-opened by AirHelp.

AirHelp re-opened 96% of easyJet claims on behalf of passengers which were rejected in the first instance, 95% of Ryanair claims and over half of the valid compensation claims made to Thomas Cook and Aer Lingus.

In the UK, 1.1 million people are eligible to claim compensation under EC261 following flight delays and cancellations in 2018, up from 900,000 the previous year.

Paloma Salmeron, air passenger rights advocate for AirHelp, comments: "The number of disrupted flights is increasing and many passengers are being denied the compensation they are owed following their first claim. Our own research shows that one in three UK passengers feel mistreated by airlines²."

Two in five recent flyers who made a complaint sought expert assistance and escalated their claim to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. Claims can be taken to court, meaning passengers can also face legal costs when fighting their case.

How many cases are reopened?

Data from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018

"The reality is that thousands of passengers are experiencing denial of their first compensation claim and therefore the money that they are entitled to. If a passenger is embroiled in a legal battle with an airline, they may face costs to hire a lawyer to push through their claim, which makes gaining the compensation that is rightfully theirs, almost impossible," comments Paloma.

The advice

About AirHelp

AirHelp is the world's largest organisation specialising in air passenger rights, helping travellers get compensation for delayed or cancelled flights and in instances of denied boarding. The company also takes legal and political action to support the growth and enforcement of air passenger rights worldwide. AirHelp has aided more than 10 million people, is available in 30 countries and has more than 600 employees.

¹AirHelp analysed hundreds of thousands of its own claims submitted to the 46 biggest airlines globally from 1.1.2016 - 31.12.18

²Data provided by YouGov Deutschland GmbH. 7,103, January 31, 2018 and February 06, 2018. 

Contact:  Farel James, [email protected], +44(0)1869 715 101