Airline Compensation Guides — Your Rights With Every Major European Carrier

Every airline operates its claims process differently. Some pay promptly and professionally. Others use every tactic available to minimise payouts. Knowing your specific airline's behaviour before you file is a significant advantage.

This hub collects FlightOwed's airline-specific guides: what each carrier typically claims as extraordinary circumstances, what actually works when claiming against them, and how their payment behaviour compares.

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Your Rights Apply Regardless of the Airline

Before the airline-specific guides: one important principle. Your EC261 compensation rights are identical regardless of which airline disrupted your flight. €250, €400, or €600 per person, depending on distance. No airline can pay less than the statutory amount. No airline is exempt.

What differs between airlines is:

• How aggressively they fight valid claims
• How quickly they process and pay
• Which extraordinary circumstances defences they commonly use
• How effective direct claims are vs. professional claims services

Understanding your specific airline helps you calibrate your approach and set realistic expectations.

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Major Low-Cost Carrier Guides

Ryanair

Europe's largest airline by passenger volume. Notoriously difficult to claim against directly, but pays when properly pressured.

→ Ryanair Flight Compensation Guide — How to claim from Ryanair, their typical rejections, what works, and court outcomes → Is Ryanair the Most Delayed Airline in Europe? — Ryanair's delay performance in context

Key facts: Ryanair caps most European route compensation at €400 (their routes rarely exceed 3,500km). They frequently cite ATC delays and rotation issues. National enforcement bodies are effective tools.

easyJet

Generally better than Ryanair on claims processing, but still uses extraordinary circumstances defences aggressively during peak periods.

→ easyJet EC261 Compensation Guide → easyJet 2025 Delay Compensation Guide

Key facts: easyJet has improved its claims portal significantly. The UK CAA has been effective for UK-departure easyJet claims. EU enforcement varies by country.

Wizz Air

Hungarian low-cost carrier with a controversial claims record. Multiple EU enforcement actions have been taken against Wizz Air for systematic non-compliance.

→ Wizz Air EC261 Compensation Guide

Key facts: Wizz Air frequently offers "Wizz credit" instead of cash — this is not a substitute for EC261 cash rights. Escalation to national enforcement is often necessary.

Vueling

IAG subsidiary operating primarily from Spain. Medium claims compliance record.

→ Vueling Compensation Guide

Key facts: Spanish AESA (aviation regulator) has an efficient complaint process. Vueling claims through Barcelona hub are often affected by ATC congestion.

Transavia

Air France-KLM subsidiary. Reasonable claims process; Dutch ILT enforcement is effective.

→ Transavia EC261 Compensation Guide

Norwegian Air

Low-cost long-haul carrier. Complex corporate structure has historically complicated claims, but Norwegian has improved.

→ Norwegian Air Compensation Guide

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Legacy / Flag Carrier Guides

TAP Air Portugal

Portugal's national carrier. Significant delay history. Frequently cites extraordinary circumstances but many claims succeed on challenge.

→ TAP Air Portugal Compensation Guide — The complete TAP-specific guide → TAP Voucher to Cash: How to Get What You're Owed — Dealing with TAP's voucher tactics → Portugal: Worst Flight Disruption Rate in Europe — Why TAP dominates Portuguese disruption statistics

Key facts: TAP has the highest delay rate among major Portuguese routes. Portuguese courts have ruled against TAP multiple times. ANAC is the relevant enforcement body.

Lufthansa

German flag carrier. Generally higher compliance than budget carriers, but complex claims structure through a group (Swiss, Austrian, Eurowings).

→ Lufthansa EC261 Compensation Guide

Key facts: Lufthansa group encompasses multiple airlines — check which specific carrier operated your flight. German Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) handles enforcement.

British Airways

Major legacy carrier. Mixed claims record; better than most budget carriers but uses extraordinary circumstances defences frequently on long-haul routes.

→ British Airways Compensation Guide

Key facts: UK CAA handles BA complaints (UK261 for UK departures). For BA flights from EU airports, the relevant EU country's enforcement body applies.

KLM

Dutch flag carrier, part of Air France-KLM. Reasonable claims compliance; Dutch ILT enforcement is effective.

→ KLM EC261 Compensation Guide

Air France

French flag carrier. Claims process has improved, but complex hub operations at CDG create significant disruption volume.

→ Air France Compensation Guide

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Airline Performance Data

These data-driven guides put airline delay performance in context:

• Worst Airline Delays in Europe 2024 — Full ranking with data
• EU Flight Compensation Statistics — Industry-wide data on claims vs. disruptions
• Best Flight Compensation Services Compared — If you're choosing between services to handle your claim
• Airline Claim Rejection Rates Under EC261 — Which airlines reject most often and why

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General Airline Tactics and How to Counter Them

Understanding the common playbook helps with any carrier:

• Things Airlines Don't Want You to Know About EC261 — The full list of common airline tactics
• Airline Offered You a Voucher? You're Owed Cash — Refusing vouchers properly
• Extraordinary Circumstances: When Airlines Don't Have to Pay (and When They're Lying) — The most common defence, explained and challenged

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does it matter which airline's guide I read if they all follow EC261?

Your legal rights are identical, but the practical approach differs significantly. An airline with a 40% extraordinary circumstances rejection rate requires a different claims strategy than one with 5%. Knowing the airline's typical behaviour helps you anticipate their response and escalate faster.

Can I claim against an airline that no longer operates?

If the airline has entered administration or ceased operations, EC261 claims become insolvency creditor claims. The chance of recovery depends on the insolvency process. Still worth filing — particularly if travel insurance or credit card protection may cover the gap.

What if my flight was operated by a different airline than the one I booked with?

Your claim is against the operating carrier (the airline that actually flew the plane), not the marketing carrier (the one you bought the ticket from). Check your boarding pass — it will show the operating carrier. Our airline guides all specify which entity to claim against.

Can I use these guides for non-UK, non-EU flights?

EC261 applies to EU-departure flights and EU-carrier non-EU departure flights. If your flight is neither, EC261 doesn't apply. UK261 applies to UK departures post-Brexit. Other countries have their own passenger protection laws with different rules and compensation amounts.

How do I know which national enforcement body covers my claim?

The enforcement body is determined by the country of departure (for EU-departure flights). Portugal → ANAC. UK → CAA. France → DGAC. Germany → LBA. Netherlands → ILT. Our airline guides specify the relevant enforcement body for typical routes.

Are budget airlines harder to claim against than legacy carriers?

Generally yes — budget carriers have more automated, higher-volume claims rejection processes. However, they also face more enforcement actions and are well-known to courts. The claims success rate with professional assistance is similar across airline types; what differs is how many escalation steps are needed.