Airlines: complaint forms

Finding the right claim form on an airline's website is not always easy. That's why we've listed in this article links to the online forms of most European airlines to be able to claim a refund or compensation.

Cancellation or flight delay: how to react?

If you have been the victim of flight cancellation or delay, here are the procedures to follow to exercise your rights.

  • At the airport, require written confirmation of the cancellation, the flight delay, or the denied boarding by the ground staff of the responsible airline, if possible specifying circumstances. If the employee refuses to issue this document, take photos of the notice board and ask other passengers in writing for testimonials.
  • Keep all your receipts of payment (hotel, taxi, meal) by waiting your flight.
  • Contact the airline: contact the actual carrier, it means the one who was to concretely carry out the flight. This may be a different company from the one that sold the flight. On your reservation, check the mention “operated by”.

    Example: a ticket is sold by a French airline but the flight is operated by an Italian airline. In case of flight delay, you would have to contact to the Italian company.

    In the case of travel with several successive airlines, you will have to backfire on the carrier that made the journey during which the incident took place, unless one of the companies has contacted you to declare itself responsible for the entire journey.
     
  • Use the online form of your airline. Once completed online, take a screenshot to keep a proof of your procedure.

In case of luggage issue, you must first report the incident to the airport and then make a written claim to the company. More information on our article on airplane baggage.

Complaint forms of the European airlines

You will find below the links to the forms of most European airlines to be able to claim a refund or compensation. Airlines are classified by alphabetical order.

Who can help me in case of problem with a European airline?

If your dispute cannot be resolved amicably, or if you wish to take legal action against the airline for reasons of statute of limitations, check our article about justice in Europe.

Every EU country has a National Enforcement Body (NEB) that sanctions airline companies when they don't respect passengers' rights. Some of these NEB allow you to report airlines' failings. If you had an issue wit a flight departing from France, you can contact the French civil association services (DGAC) via their online form. For the other countries, refer to the complete NEB list.

Passengers with a disability or reduced mobility can also report an airline to the DGAC by e-mail at signalement-phmr-bf@aviation-civile.gouv.fr. And if the problem occurred in another country, they can refer to the NEB list for the rights of passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.

However, these authorities cannot force an airline company to reimburse an individual passenger. Reporting the problem to an authority can still make the company react and give you an indication whether or not your rights have been violated.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.