How to prepare information for a flight delay claim
Start with the booking details, the actual disruption and the airline’s response. A flight delay alone does not establish entitlement to compensation; the applicable rules and circumstances need to be checked.
Record the journey accurately
- The operating airline and flight number.
- The flight date, departure airport and arrival airport.
- The scheduled timings and the actual arrival time, if known.
- Whether the flight was delayed, cancelled or replaced, and what alternative travel was provided.
If you had connecting flights, include the itinerary and explain whether they were part of the same booking. Do not guess a reason for the disruption.
Keep supporting records
Save booking confirmations, boarding passes, airline notifications and your correspondence. Keep itemised receipts for expenses and note which costs the airline has already reimbursed. Distinguish a ticket refund, expense reimbursement and compensation: they address different issues.
Ask the airline for its explanation
Record the reason the airline gives and any supporting information. A first refusal is not enough information to judge every claim, and a long delay does not mean compensation is automatic.
Check official guidance
The Civil Aviation Authority’s flight disruption guidance explains passenger rights and routes for raising a complaint. Check the guidance for your itinerary before taking action.
Prepare a clear summary
Describe what happened, what you requested from the airline and what response you received. Read a fictional flight-delay report example to see how facts, uncertainties and next steps can be organised. It is not a decision about your flight.
General preparation information for England and Wales. Not legal advice. The service is currently a preview.