Summer 2023 is gearing up to be the busiest travel season since before the pandemic. AirHelp can help air passengers win compensation if their flight is cancelled, so long as they are on an EU airline or flying out of the EU.

Last year, a series of strikes and staff shortages led to aviation chaos, with many airlines cancelling hundreds – if not thousands – of flights. According to Euronews, this summer is set to be the busiest travel season since 2019, so will travellers face the same problems?

Hopefully airlines and airports will be better prepared but in those instances when things do go wrong, AirHelp (the’s largest air passenger rights organisation) is a digital platform that helps travellers claim compensation for flight cancellations, delays and overbooking. It was founded in 2013 and has since helped millions of passengers claim payouts from airlines.

If your flight is cancelled, delayed or overbooked, you may be entitled to compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004, which states that airlines are obligated to compensate passengers for flight disruptions, except in certain circumstances such as weather conditions, security risks, or air traffic control strikes. In such cases, the airline is not liable for compensation.

To claim compensation, all you need to do is provide AirHelp with your flight details and its system will then assess your claim and determine if you are eligible for compensation. If you are entitled to a pay-out, AirHelp will handle all aspects of the claim on your behalf, including communication with the airline, negotiations and legal proceedings if necessary.

AirHelp operates on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that if your claim is unsuccessful, you don’t have to pay anything to AirHelp. However, if your claim is successful, AirHelp will charge a commission of 25 per cent of the compensation amount.

After Brexit, when Britain left the European Union, UK law was introduced to match EU regulation EC 261, meaning passengers still have the right to be reimbursed for flight cancellations providing certain criteria are met.

However, since January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier. However, EU rules continue to apply if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier.

AirHelp says that if you qualify, EU airlines or airlines flying out of the EU are legally required to pay you flight cancellation compensation of up to £520 if less than 14 days’ notice has been given of the cancellation.

But the compensation amount depends on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay. For example, if your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours and the distance of the flight is less than 1,500km, you may be entitled to £220.

If the distance is between 1,500km and 3,500km and the delay is more than three hours, you may be entitled to £350. For flights longer than 3,500km, you may be entitled to £520.

Claiming compensation for flight cancellations can be a daunting task, especially if you are not familiar with the process. AirHelp simplifies the process by handling everything for you.