Flight delayed, what now? What to do at the airport

Do immediately: record the situation

The moment the delay appears, your evidence gathering begins. Actual times vanish from apps and screens surprisingly fast, and precisely those times will decide whether you clear the 3-hour threshold.

• Screenshot the departure board and the airline app, timestamps included.
• Ask at the gate why the flight is delayed, ideally in writing.
• Keep your boarding pass, baggage tag and booking confirmation.

From 2 hours: demand your care

From 2 hours of waiting the airline must offer food, drinks and communication; if it becomes a night, a hotel with transfers too. This is entirely separate from compensation and survives even force majeure.

Airline offering nothing? Buy something reasonable yourself and keep the receipts. Those costs can be reclaimed later.

En route or at home: check your claim

Arrive 3 or more hours late at your final destination and you are probably owed €250 to €600 per person. Our checker measures the distance and the actual arrival time, and immediately tests the airline's excuse against the METAR weather data of that moment.

You can claim years after the flight, so last summer's delay is worth checking too.

The pitfalls that break claims

Three things weaken a strong claim: accepting a voucher you did not want, signing for a low settlement at the gate, and arriving late at the gate because the delay was already known. Keep meeting the conditions and keep your rights in your own hands.