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What proof you need for a flight compensation claim

You carry the first part of the proof: that you were on the flight and that it was late or cancelled.

Updated

The list

  • Booking confirmation with the booking reference and your name.
  • Boarding pass or proof you checked in on time.
  • The scheduled and actual arrival time, from the airline message, a flight status record or a photo of the arrival board.
  • The airline’s notice of cancellation, with the date and time you got it.
  • The reason the airline gave, in writing if you can get it.
  • Receipts for meals, hotels and transport.

Why check-in matters

EU261 expects a confirmed reservation and on-time check-in, normally 45 minutes before departure when the airline states none. The check-in condition does not apply to cancellations.

Next steps: claim yourself.

Check your flight

Where the trip started. For one booking with connections, the first airport.

Where the trip ended: the final destination.

The operating airline, not the one on the ticket. A boarding pass or the flight status page names it.

What happened

At the final destination, when the aircraft door opened.

We read this to explain the result. We never decide whether it counts as extraordinary.

Carried into the claim letter. It does not change the amount.

Results

Enter both airports and the airline to see a result.

Loading the airport list

Choose where the trip started, where it ended, the airline and what happened. The result updates as you type.

Information, not advice

Hours Late is not a law firm and not a claims company. It does not file claims for you. The results are estimates from published rules and the details you enter. They are not legal advice. Airlines and courts decide each case.

Sources