Question 1

Who is entitled to compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004?

Accepted Answer

Any passenger on a flight departing from an EU/EEA/UK/Swiss airport, or any passenger on an EU-licensed airline arriving in those territories, who suffers a delay of 3 hours or more, a cancellation with less than 14 days notice, or denied boarding due to overbooking. The right applies regardless of ticket price or class of travel.

Question 2

How much compensation can I claim?

Accepted Answer

Under EU261: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km. UK261 pays equivalent amounts in GBP. Compensation is per passenger and is in addition to any refund or rerouting.

Question 3

How long do I have to file a claim?

Accepted Answer

Limitation periods are set by national law and vary from 1 year (Belgium, Poland) to 6 years (England and Wales). In most EU Member States the period is 2 to 3 years. We accept claims as long as the limitation has not expired in the relevant jurisdiction.

Question 4

What counts as an extraordinary circumstance?

Accepted Answer

Only events truly outside the airline's control: severe weather, security alerts, air-traffic-control strikes, political instability. Technical faults, crew strikes, and most operational issues are NOT extraordinary under settled European case law. If the airline blames extraordinary circumstances, we challenge the claim and require evidence.

Question 5

How much does SkyDelay charge?

Accepted Answer

Our commission is 25% of the recovered compensation, plus VAT where legally required. No upfront fees, no membership fees, no surprises. If we do not recover compensation, you pay nothing — that is our no-win-no-fee promise.

Question 6

What happens if my case goes to court?

Accepted Answer

If the airline refuses to pay a valid claim, we escalate to the competent national court at no additional cost to you. We work with partner law firms across the EU and the UK. All legal fees are covered by us; you keep your share of the awarded compensation.

Question 7

How long does the claim process take?

Accepted Answer

Most claims are resolved in 8 to 12 weeks. Straightforward delays settle in 4 to 8 weeks. Complex court cases can take 6 to 12 months. We provide regular status updates and you can check progress at any time in your claim portal.

Question 8

Can I check my eligibility for free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our online eligibility checker takes about 3 minutes, needs only your flight details, and gives you an instant indicative answer including the compensation amount. Submitting a full claim takes only another few minutes if you decide to proceed.

Question 9

Is my personal data safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We are fully GDPR compliant. TLS 1.3 for data in transit, encryption at rest for documents and PII, and least-privilege access for authorised staff. Our designated EU representative (Art. 27 GDPR) and our privacy policy explain your rights in detail.

Question 10

Do I need to sign a Power of Attorney?

Accepted Answer

Yes. To represent you with the airline and, if needed, in court, we need a signed assignment of claim and power of attorney. You sign electronically when submitting your claim — this satisfies eIDAS Regulation (EU) 910/2014 for simple electronic signatures and is legally binding throughout the EU.

Question 11

Where can I file a complaint about your service?

Accepted Answer

Please email complaints@skydelay.org first. If we cannot resolve the matter, you may bring the dispute to a certified ADR body, or use the European Commission ODR platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. See our ADR/ODR statement for the full procedure.

Question 12

How do I receive my compensation?

Accepted Answer

Once the airline pays us, we deduct our commission and transfer your share to the IBAN you provided. Payouts are typically processed within 5 business days. SEPA transfers reach EU accounts the same day or the next business day.

Question 13

In which currency do I get paid?

Accepted Answer

EU261 compensation is paid in EUR. UK261 compensation is paid in GBP. We can convert to your home currency on request at the prevailing interbank rate, with no FX margin.

Question 14

Is the compensation taxable?

Accepted Answer

EU261 compensation is generally treated as non-taxable damages in most EU Member States, but tax treatment depends on your country of residence. We are not tax advisors; please consult a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility & EU261

Our service & fees

Data, privacy & legal

Payments

Did not find what you were looking for?