Find your problem
| Your problem | What you may be owed | Fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Flight delayed 3 hours or more | Compensation, meals, hotel if overnight, refund if 5+ hours | Delay guide · Calculator |
| Flight cancelled | Refund or rerouting, care, and often compensation | Cancellation guide |
| Airline kept money after cancelling | Full refund of the unused ticket | Refund guide |
| Missed a connecting flight | Rebooking, care, and compensation if you arrive 3+ hours late | Missed connection guide |
| Overbooked, refused a seat | Compensation, refund or rerouting, care | Overbooking guide |
| Baggage late, lost or damaged | Reasonable costs and compensation up to a legal limit | Baggage guide |
| Refused boarding for passport or visa problems | Usually no compensation, so prevention matters | Documents guide |
| Stopped at a Pakistan airport (offloaded) | Know your rights and how to complain | Offloading guide |
Which rules apply to you
- EU rules (EC 261/2004): flights within the EU on any airline, flights leaving the EU on any airline, and flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are covered too.
- UK rules (UK261): a similar system for flights from the UK, and for flights to the UK on UK airlines.
- Montreal Convention: covers baggage and some delay damages on most international flights worldwide, including flights from Pakistan.
- Other countries: many have their own passenger rules. Look up the regulator for the country where the problem happened.
A flight from Pakistan, the Gulf or India to Europe is covered by EU compensation rules only if an EU airline operated it. The flight back from Europe is covered on any airline.
Compensation amounts under EU rules
| Flight distance | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | EUR 250 |
| Within the EU over 1,500 km, and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km | EUR 400 |
| Over 3,500 km | EUR 600 |
These amounts apply to cancellations, denied boarding and arriving 3 or more hours late, unless extraordinary circumstances caused the problem. Use the free compensation calculator to estimate your case.
The same five steps fix almost every problem
- Keep proof: booking confirmation, boarding pass, the airline's messages and photos of the departure board.
- Ask the airline for care (meals, hotel, transport) at the airport and keep every receipt.
- Write down the real arrival time at your final destination.
- Complain in writing to the airline that operated the flight. The free complaint letter generator builds the letter for you.
- If the airline refuses or is silent after about 2 months, escalate to the national enforcement body, an alternative dispute resolution scheme or a court.
Do not pay a claims company by default
Claims companies are legal, but they usually keep a share of what they recover. You can send the same claim yourself for free, and this site never asks for a fee. If you do use a company, read the commission and the contract first.
General information only
This guide is information, not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different, so confirm with the airline, the national enforcement body or a qualified lawyer before you act. ArrivalCardGuide does not file claims and takes no share of any money you recover.
Questions and answers
Do I have to pay to claim compensation?
No. You can claim directly from the airline for free. Claims companies charge a commission, but you do not need one.
How long do I have to claim?
Time limits depend on the country where you bring the claim and can be as short as 1 year or as long as 6 years or more. Claim as soon as possible and keep your documents.
Which airline do I claim from?
The airline that operated the flight, which can be different from the website or agent that sold you the ticket.
Does the weather cancel my right to compensation?
Severe weather is usually an extraordinary circumstance, so compensation may not be due. You can still be owed meals, a hotel, and a refund or rerouting.
Sources
- Your Europe: Air passenger rights
- EU Regulation 261/2004 (official text)
- UK Civil Aviation Authority: delays and cancellations
This guide summarises EU Regulation 261/2004, the Montreal Convention and public airline notices. Baggage figures were checked against airline liability notices on 2026-10-19. Rules can change, so always confirm the latest version with the official sources above before you claim.