My AirHelp Review: You Need To Know This Simplified Service For EU Flight Refunds
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LAST SUMMER, I WAS FLYING FROM GERMANY TO THE UNITED STATES FOR A FRIEND’S WEDDING.
My flight was scheduled a day before the ceremony.
But when I got to the airport the morning of my flight, my boarding pass didn’t open the automated security entry like it normally would.
I asked an employee if there was a problem with my boarding pass, and she consulted her computer.
“Der Flug wurde abgesagt,” she said.
I looked at her with a blank face.
“IT’S CANCELED,” SHE CLARIFIED IN ENGLISH.
That experience led me down a rabbit hole of the various consumer protections in place in the European Union for travelers who have had their flights cancelled or delayed.
I wrote this blog post all about EU Regulation 261 to help other travelers who might have found themselves trying to navigate the delayed flight claims process.
I reached out to my airline and was told, basically, tough luck.
They wouldn’t be compensating me for my canceled flight.
But I also decided to reach out to a company that specializes in these kinds of flight compensation claims.
I DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO LOSE, AND BY THIS POINT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE FLIGHT CLAIM AREA OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY FUNCTIONED.
Here I am, a year later, and the money from my flight compensation claim is sitting comfortably in my bank account thanks to AirHelp.
I used this service on a whim, and was pleasantly surprised with how they handled my claim.
Keep reading for all the details of how the process unfolded, and how much money I ended up receiving from my claim.
My AirHelp Review: You Need To Know This Simplified Service For EU Flight Refunds
What Is AirHelp?
AirHelp is a claims management service that helps travelers win their flight compensation claims in exchange for a percentage of the recovered funds.
How Does AirHelp Work for EU Flight Compensation?
AirHelp uses flight data and their in-house legal expertise to determine if you're eligible under EU Regulation 261, which protects passengers in cases of long delays, cancellations, or denied boarding.
If your claim qualifies, they’ll handle the paperwork and communication with the airline on your behalf.
And sometimes, as in my case, they will even take the case to court if it’s necessary.
My Honest AirHelp Review
LET’S REWIND BACK TO THE NIGHT BEFORE MY FLIGHT WAS CANCELED.
There were strong thunderstorms in Washington, D.C., my destination, but they were long over by the time I made my way to the airport for my flight.
United Airlines claimed that my flight cancellation was due to inclement weather.
And I suspect that the weather impacted my aircraft, which was probably the same one flying from Washington D.C. the night before.
But at what point does inclement weather stop being an excuse?
Do airlines allow these weather disruptions to cascade through their route schedule like dominos?
Or are they expected to have contingencies in place to help them get back on schedule after weather disruptions?
Why I Used AirHelp
I filled out my information on a United Airlines website and was quickly told that my flight was cancelled due to inclement weather, and that I was not eligible for any kind of compensation.
But this bothered me because the weather in both the city I was flying to and the city I was departing from was fine on the day my flight was cancelled.
IT JUST FELT LIKE AN EXCUSE.
I’m always evaluating various travel-related products and services, and I thought that this predicament was the perfect reason to try AirHelp.
AirHelp’s fee is 35% of the total compensation they win for you, but if court proceedings are required, they charge an additional fee of 15% of the total amount won.
Since I had no interest in fighting with the airline on my own, AirHelp’s potential 50% fee, or half of any awarded compensation, seemed fair.
AFTER ALL, WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN’T HAVE PURSUED ANY FURTHER ACTION.
Was My Flight Eligible?
EU Regulation 261 applies to the following types of flights:
flights within the EU, or between two EU countries;
flights departing from an EU airport; or
flights arriving in the EU on an EU-based airline.
Since I was departing from Frankfurt, Germany, and since I had a confirmed booking and was checked-in on time, my flight was eligible.
MY BIGGEST UNCERTAINTY WAS HOW THE INCLEMENT WEATHER DEFENSE WOULD BE INTERPRETED.
Contrary to some misunderstanding, EU Regulation 261 does not actually apply to all flight delays.
Extraordinary circumstances, like severe weather or air traffic control strikes, can render a delay or cancellation ineligible for compensation.
So part of AirHelp’s job was to figure out if my claim was even eligible — more on that in a bit.
The Refund Process Step-by-Step
I filed my initial claim in late September, and a month later I received notice that AirHelp was going to begin legal action on my claim.
About six months later, in early May, I received notice from AirHelp that the court ruled that I was, in fact, owed compensation.
I DIDN’T MIND THE FACT THAT IT TOOK SIX MONTHS FOR THIS PROCESS TO REACH A CONCLUSION.
Far from it — I was happy that AirHelp stayed in touch via email about my claim, and more importantly, that it was one less thing in my already busy life that I did not have to devote any mental bandwidth to.
How Long Did It Take To Get Paid?
In late May, AirHelp confirmed that United Airlines would be paying my claim, but also cautioned that it could take as long as 2-3 months for payment.
In mid-June, they sent me an email requesting my payment details, and I went to their website to provide that information.
TWO DAYS LATER, THE PAYMENT WAS DEPOSITED INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT.
AirHelp Pros and Cons
Like most services, AirHelp has its pros and cons.
For me, the ease of use far outweighed any downsides, but here’s a balanced look.
Pros: Ease, Expertise, Peace of Mind
You don’t have to chase down legal details or write a single email to the airline.
AIRHELP HANDLES EVERYTHING.
Their team knows exactly how to navigate EU Regulation 261, and I found their communication timely and reassuring throughout the entire process.
Cons: Fees, Eligibility Limitations
The fees can feel steep, especially if your case goes to court.
Like I said, my fee ended up being 50% of my total compensation.
And it’s important to remember that AirHelp can only work within the legal limits of EU Regulation 261.
Is AirHelp Worth It For You?
If you don’t want to deal with the back-and-forth of filing a claim, or if you’ve already tried and been denied, then AirHelp is absolutely worth it.
When You Should Claim Yourself
IF YOUR DELAY OR CANCELLATION IS CLEARLY ELIGIBLE AND THE AIRLINE HAS A STRAIGHTFORWARD CLAIM PORTAL, YOU MIGHT PREFER TO GO THE DIY ROUTE AND KEEP THE FULL PAYOUT.
The maximum payout under EU Regulation 261 is €600, so it’s certainly worth handling yourself if it’s an easy claim.
Just be prepared for follow-up emails and possibly needing to cite the specific parts of EU Regulation 261 yourself.
When AirHelp Saves Time and Stress
If you're already juggling work, life, or travel, AirHelp makes the entire claim process almost effortless.
ESPECIALLY IF THE AIRLINE GIVES YOU THE RUNAROUND, LIKE THEY DID WITH ME.
AirHelp took something I had mentally written off and turned it into a nice little deposit in my bank account.
Have an EU Flight Compensation Claim?
LET AIRHELP HANDLE IT
✅ CONFIRM // Their team will verify your documents, find flight reports, check weather conditions, and more to confirm your compensation.
📝 PAPERWORK // AirHelp puts together a solid case for compensation and delivers it to your airline.
🤝 NEGOTIATION // AirHelp will keep you updated during the up to 3 months is can take to get a decision
⚡ ESCALATION // If the airline rejects or ignores the claim, AirHelp will involve specialist lawyers to take stronger action.
💸 PAYMENT // Once the airline pays, AirHelp requests your payment details and transfers your money directly to you.
Conclusion
There’s a catch-22 aspect to the EU’s consumer protection rules for air travelers.
On the one hand, it’s great to have mandated monetary compensation when your flight is delayed or canceled.
But on the other hand, the last thing you want to do after a canceled flight is deal with filing a claim.
PERSONALLY, I’M SO GLAD THAT I CHOSE TO HAND OVER THE CLAIM PROCESS TO AIRHELP.
Their team handled everything from eligibility checks to court proceedings.
And in the end, I got money back that I never would’ve pursued on my own.
If you’re in a similar situation and don’t have the time or energy to fight for what you're owed, AirHelp might just be the service you need.
Until next time,
Angela ✈️
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