Many passengers never file a claim at all — or pay someone else to do something they may be able to do themselves.
FlightTruth is an independent resource designed to help you understand EU261 and UK261 passenger rights, identify the correct airline page, and decide whether filing directly makes sense for your situation.
A fast guide — not legal advice.
The goal is simple: determine whether you may have a valid claim, gather the key details, and submit directly through the airline’s official page.
EU261 or UK261 can apply when a qualifying flight departs from the EU/EEA or the United Kingdom and is cancelled, denied boarding, or arrives 3+ hours late.
Keep your flight number, departure date, booking reference, and any receipts or screenshots showing the disruption.
Use the airline’s official page whenever possible. It may save time, commission, and unnecessary back-and-forth.
Need proof that your flight was delayed or cancelled? Use this helper to build a quick search, then verify the details using public flight-history sources.
Enter your flight number and travel date. Example: UA129 and 2026-03-12.
This helper is designed for do-it-yourself passengers. No fees. No middlemen. Just the information you need to file directly.
Copy, paste, and edit — no legal language needed.
Tip: Keep your message short, factual, and specific. Flight number, date, route, and arrival delay matter more than emotion.
Subject: Compensation Claim – Flight [Flight Number], [Date]
Subject: Follow-Up – Compensation Claim
Use your airline’s official page whenever possible. In some cases, you may need to select “Complaint” or clearly reference an EU261 or UK261 compensation claim when submitting your request.
Tip: If your flight departed from Europe or the United Kingdom, EU261 or UK261 may apply — even if you were flying on a U.S. airline. Flights to Europe or the United Kingdom may qualify only if operated by an EU or UK airline.
Use Customer Relations for past-travel complaints and include “EU261 compensation claim” with your flight number, date, and route.
Delta provides one of the clearer explanations of EU261 rights among U.S. airlines.
Submit under “Complaint” or clearly reference EU261 if applicable.
Use the contact form and clearly state “EU261 compensation claim” with your flight number and date.
Use the contact center for post-travel issues and clearly state “EU261 compensation claim” with your flight details.
Select the disrupted-flight option and submit your EU261 / UK261 request.
Use the official complaint form for delays, cancellations, overbooking, or downgrades.
Use KLM’s compensation page for delays, cancellations, rebookings, and reimbursement of eligible expenses.
Use Norse’s help center for cancellations, delays, and changes. Include your flight details and reference EU261 if applicable.
Use the feedback form for post-travel complaints and include your flight details and any claim reference information.
This page explains compensation, care, and reimbursement, and routes passengers toward the complaint process.
The more organized you are, the easier the process tends to be.
Flight number, travel date, departure and arrival cities, and your booking reference or ticket number.
Boarding pass, screenshots, rebooking notice, delay notifications, or other airline messages.
If the airline did not provide meals, transport, or a hotel when required, keep receipts for reasonable out-of-pocket costs.
A valid claim can become harder than it needs to be if basic details are missing.
Save boarding passes, booking confirmations, delay notices, screenshots, and any rebooking messages.
If the airline did not provide meals, hotel, or transportation when required, keep receipts for reasonable costs.
When writing to the airline, clearly state “EU261 compensation claim” or “UK261 compensation claim” and include your flight number and date.
Small details can make a big difference when airlines review compensation requests.
Clearly state “EU261 compensation claim” or “UK261 compensation claim.” This signals that you understand your rights and helps route your request correctly.
Compensation is based on how late you arrived at your final destination — not just departure delay. A delay of 3+ hours is often key.
Airlines may initially cite “weather” or “operational reasons.” Independent verification can sometimes tell a different story.
If a link needs updating, if something appears inaccurate, or if you have a suggestion that could help other passengers, please send a note.
FlightTruth is designed as a do-it-yourself resource to help passengers understand their rights and file directly with airlines without paying third-party fees.
We value feedback and suggestions. Because this site is not currently staffed to respond to a high volume of individual inquiries, replies may be limited.
A simple explanation of your passenger rights — when they apply, how much you may be owed, and when airlines may not be required to pay.
EU261 is a European passenger-rights regime for qualifying disruptions. The United Kingdom applies a similar framework, commonly called UK261, for qualifying UK departures and certain UK-carrier situations.
Flights departing from the EU/EEA or the United Kingdom are the clearest cases. Flights to Europe or the UK may also qualify, but usually only if operated by an EU or UK airline.
Compensation may depend on route, delay length, and the applicable regulation. For many long-haul qualifying disruptions, compensation can reach up to €600 under EU261, with similar UK261 equivalents.
Compensation is often harder to obtain when the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, or security issues.
Even when compensation is not owed, airlines may still be required to provide meals, hotel accommodation, transportation, and other reasonable care depending on the circumstances.
In some cases, filing directly with the airline may save time and preserve the full value of any compensation that is actually owed.