How to Claim Delta Flight Delay Compensation
Flight disruption? Read our comprehensive guide and claim what’s rightfully yours.
With the increasing popularity of airplane travel there is a greater chance of flight delays, cancellations or incidents of denied boarding. Fortunately according to EU Regulation 261/2004 (EC 261) you could be entitled to flight compensation of up to €600 even if it was an overbooked flight.
SkyRefund provides an easy way to claim your Delta Air Lines compensation. We have an outstanding team of professionals, ready to take all necessary steps to ensure that you receive what you are owed. Our legal experts and top-ranked lawyers are here to uphold your rights.
We charge a success fee of 25% (VAT included) from the amount of successfully claimed compensation. According to our “No Win, No Fee” principle, we receive a fee only if we are successful in claiming your compensation. If Delta Air Lines does not compensate you for your flight disruption, all our work is for free.
How much can you claim as compensation for your flight?
The compensation amount you are entitled to primarily depends on the distance of your Delta Air Lines flight.
If your flight was shorter than 1500km you could claim €250 for you disruption. For a flight between 1500km and 3500km, your compensation rises to €400. If the distance exceeds 3500km, you could claim €600.
There is an exception that applies to flights longer than 3500km. When you have a long-haul flight that arrives at its final destination with a delay between 3 to 4 hours, the airline has the right to reduce your compensation by half.
| € 250 | € 400 | € 600 |
| Less than 1500 km | Between 1500 & 3500 km | More than 3500 km |
Claim your compensation from Delta Air Lines.
EU Regulation 261/2004 applies to air passengers who are departing from an EU airport, or from a non-EU airport with an EU-registered airline.
It is important to note that flight compensation is subject to specific conditions. With SkyRefund you can easily find out if your flight is eligible for compensation using our compensation calculator.
Delta Flight Delay
For your flight to be eligible for compensation, there are several basic conditions that have to be met:
- You departed from an EU airport
- Your flight was late at its final destination by more than three hours
- Your flight was not delayed due to any extraordinary circumstances
Under EC261, passengers can claim compensation, if they reach their final destination with an overall delay of over three hours. But how can you accurately calculate your delay? The duration of the delay is the difference between the actual and the scheduled time of arrival.
EU regulations apply to flights operated by EU airlines or flights departing from the EU, regardless of the country of registration of the operating carrier. As Delta Air Lines is registered in Atlanta, Georgia, US, the passengers would be entitled to compensation for delays only if they depart from an EU airport.
But what about extraordinary circumstances? Extraordinary circumstances are events that cause flight delays or flight cancellations. Often referred to as “force-majeure” events, extraordinary circumstances are beyond Delta Air Lines’s capability to prevent or mitigate.
Some common examples of such events include:
- Bad weather (including snowstorms, hailstorms, strong crosswinds, low visibility)
- Bird strikes
- Airport personnel strikes
- Air Traffic Control restrictions (e.g. runway closures of airport shutdowns)
- Hidden manufacturing defect
- Medical emergency
All of the above mentioned scenarios are seen as “force-majeure” events and in these instances Delta would not be required to compensate passengers for any flight disruptions. In the presence of extraordinary circumstances it is not the company’s fault and they have the right not to pay compensation.
Please note that there are some circumstances that are not considered exceptional and you as an airline passenger can have a valid flight compensation claim:
- Problems with airline staff
- Technical problems preventing the aircraft from taking off
- Denied boarding caused by overbooking
SkyRefund can help you claim your delayed Delta flight compensation. We have a simple and intuitive compensation calculator embedded in our website which takes away the burden of filing long compensation forms. All we need is your flight number, date of travel and booking reference number and we will go through the whole process for you.
Delta Air Lines Flight Cancelation
Your Delta Air Lines flight was cancelled? You may be eligible for flight cancellation compensation if the following conditions are met:
- You were notified of the cancellation less than 14 days before the scheduled departure
- Your alternate flight to your final destination arrived more than 4 hours later than its scheduled time of arrival
- Your cancellation was not caused by any extraordinary circumstances
Speaking from experience, most flight cancellations occur 24h prior to departure. Therefore you could be entitled to compensation if your alternate flight arrives more than 2 hours after your original flight.
SkyRefund can help you claim in the event of a cancelled flight. Check your compensation now.
Don’t forget that in the event of a cancelled flight, Delta Air Lines are obliged to provide its passengers with an alternate flight or a full refund for the total ticket cost regardless of the circumstances.
Denied Boarding
Annoyed by an overbooked flight? If Delta denies your boarding on the aircraft, you are presented with two options:
- Get a full ticket refund and a return ticket to your original departure point
- Get an alternate flight to your final destination - either as soon as possible or at a later date
Additionally you can submit a compensation claim for your Delta Air Lines overbooked flight. Under EC261, you could be eligible to the same amount as for delays and cancellations - up to €600!
About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is an airline company based in Atlanta, Georgia, US. The company was founded in 1924 and is one of the oldest airline companies that is still operating. Today Delta manages a large variety of aircrafts, 885 in total. Delta's logo comes from the Greek letter delta and is often called a "widget".
The company is one of the four remaining legacy carriers and was ranked No. 75 in the Fortune's 500 list of the largest American corporations by revenue in 2018. Atlanta is its main hub.
Delta Rankings