News
Who claims for Flight Delay Compensation? | FairPlane UK / 24.07.2015
The real question is not who claims but who doesn’t claim for flight delay compensation. Industry figures show that it's often around just 10% of passengers on board a delayed flight who actually make a claim.
A good example is flight number TG911 to Bangkok on 3rd April 2015. This was a cancelled flight by Thai Airways due to a problem with an engine. Despite one of our representatives being on board and advising people of their rights, only 10% of the 350 on board made a claim.
So an amazing 90% i.e. 315 passengers have failed to claim their entitlement of €600 from Thai Air. That’s a whopping €189,000 which Thai Air hasn’t had to pay out...so extra profit for them!
So why is it that people don’t claim? Well, our studies show that it is because passengers try to make the claim themselves but are then put off by the airline’s tactics or negative response. Often the airlines will tell passengers that they are not allowed to make a claim because the problem has arisen as a result of a technical issue with the aircraft, which is classed as an ‘exceptional circumstance’ permitted by the EU rules. This is not true, but passengers don’t know this!
Our figures also indicate that passengers are put off making claims because they think it is a complicated process involving much of their time. Some even think that they may have to pay legal costs or even go to court! The good news is that none of this is correct. Our systems and expertise mean passengers only need to supply us with some basic details and proof of their delayed flight. They can then simply sit back whilst we do all the work for them, safe I the knowledge that we, as solicitors, will always act in their best interests and will only charge a percentage of the compensation received if they win, otherwise our clients never pay a penny.
