Best flight compensation services for delays and cancellations

EU261 basics

EU261 covers flights leaving an EU, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland airport, and flights arriving in the EU on an airline based in the EU. It applies to delays, short-notice cancellations and denied boarding. Compensation is 250 EUR for flights up to 1,500 km, 400 EUR for 1,500 to 3,500 km and EU flights over 1,500 km, and 600 EUR for longer flights outside the EU. The delay is measured at your final destination. Most flights between Slovakia and nearby capitals such as Vienna, Prague or Budapest fall in the shortest band.

An airline can refuse if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside its control, such as severe weather, security risks or air traffic control strikes, and it must show it took reasonable measures. Technical faults in normal operation are often not treated as extraordinary. The UK has its own version, UK261, with amounts in pounds. For the full rules see flight delay compensation.

The options side by side

Fees and timings come from the services' pages and third-party reviews and change, so confirm them before you sign. See AirHelp vs Compensair for the detailed comparison.

What you keep

The 35% figure is AirHelp's stated fee, and 25% is an illustration of the lower end of third-party reports for Compensair. Check the live percentage and whether VAT is included on the claim form.

Claiming directly, step by step

1. Collect your booking confirmation, boarding pass and any delay notices.
2. Note the planned and actual arrival time at your final destination.
3. Write to the airline's claims form or email with your flight number, date and the amount due under EU261.
4. Keep every reply. Do not accept a voucher if you want cash.
5. If the airline refuses or does not reply, complain to the national enforcement body. In Slovakia that is the Slovak Trade Inspection (SOI).

Examples of airline-specific routes are in Ryanair delay compensation and Wizz Air delay compensation. Time limits depend on the country and the claim, so do not wait.

When a service is worth the fee

A service makes sense if the airline has refused, you do not want to chase emails for months, or the cause is likely to be disputed. A lower fee keeps more money in your pocket on a simple claim, so Compensair tends to win on paper. A well-known service with a legal team may be worth a higher share if its terms clearly cover court costs. Direct claims win when the cause is obvious and the airline pays valid claims. You can also try directly first and use a service if refused, unless a time limit is close. Do not file the same claim with two services.

Slovakia and Vienna context

Many visitors to Slovakia fly through Vienna, Bratislava, Košice or Poprad. The rules attach to the flight, not to your nationality, so a delayed flight into Bratislava or a cancellation at Vienna can both qualify. Keep boarding passes and receipts for meals and hotels, since your right to care starts before the compensation threshold. See flight cancelled at Vienna Airport and flight delayed at Bratislava. The EU has discussed reforming the 2004 rules, but until new rules are in force the current regulation applies.

Mistakes to avoid

• Waiting too long. Time limits differ by country.
• Throwing away the boarding pass or delay emails.
• Accepting a voucher when you are owed money.
• Paying for a hotel or meals without keeping receipts.
• Signing with a service without reading the fee and court terms.

Your rights while you wait

Your right to care starts before the three-hour compensation threshold. For flights up to 1,500 km the airline must provide meals and refreshments after a delay of two hours or more, and the threshold is longer for longer flights. If the delay reaches five hours, you can ask for a refund of the unused ticket. If you wait overnight, the airline must provide hotel accommodation. Keep receipts for anything you buy yourself and ask for written confirmation of the delay at the desk. These care rights are separate from compensation and do not depend on any claims service.

How long claims take

Reviewers report that most AirHelp claims take roughly three to four months, with the company aiming for 8 to 14 weeks. Compensair customer reviews describe waits from under three months to nearly two years when the airline disputes the claim. Direct claims depend on the airline: some answer within weeks, while others reject first and pay only after a complaint. Slow answers from the airline are the usual cause in every case. If a service tells you to wait, that is normal, but ask for a status update after a few months.

Documents to keep

• Booking confirmation with the passenger names and flight number.
• Boarding pass or a screenshot of it.
• Delay or cancellation message from the airline.
• Photos of the departure board where possible.
• Receipts for meals, hotel and transport you paid for.
• Any written offer of a voucher, which you do not have to accept.

With these in hand, either route is straightforward, and a service will ask for most of them anyway.