{"id":542,"date":"2025-10-14T15:47:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/?p=542"},"modified":"2025-10-14T15:49:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:49:42","slug":"flight-delay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/flight-delay\/","title":{"rendered":"How I Claimed \u20ac400 for a Flight Delay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How I Claimed \u20ac400 for a Flight Delay<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\"Aleks<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Buongiorno!<\/p>\n

If your flight was delayed or you missed a connection, you might be entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros. And this isn\u2019t a kind gesture from the airline\u2014it\u2019s the law<\/strong>. Many people don\u2019t know, but under EU rules, airlines pay significant fines to passengers for flight delays. And getting this payment isn\u2019t that difficult. The key is knowing when it applies and what you\u2019re entitled to.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll explain in more detail how it all works based on my own experience. I share exactly how I filed the claim, the required documents, and insider tips to make sure you get the money you deserve, fast and hassle-free. At the end, I\u2019ll summarize it in a more structured way.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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So, I needed to get from Rome to Porto. There was no direct flight, so I booked a Vueling ticket with a connection in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

Flight delay<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Rome\u2013Barcelona flight was delayed by more than an hour. Already on the plane, I realized I was going to miss my next flight.<\/p>\n

Under EU rules, the airline is obliged to rebook you on the next available flight to your final destination.<\/p>\n

Before we even took off, I checked Vueling\u2019s schedule\u2014on that day there were two more Barcelona\u2013Porto flights, leaving in two and five hours. There had to be a seat available on at least one of them.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Rebooking on the next flight + meals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For those familiar with Barcelona airport: I ran from gate A21 to gate C68. In the daytime. At peak hour. I still don\u2019t understand why\u2014I mean, the plane had already left. But, as they say, hope dies last. A ground staff member told me that the Vueling office was near gate A26.<\/p>\n

Phew\u2026 On the way back, I took it easy.<\/p>\n

A Vueling representative informed me that I had already been automatically rebooked on the flight leaving in five hours. On one hand, this ruined all my plans for the day in Porto. But, to be honest, I already knew about the compensation and its approximate amount, and I was actually a little happy.<\/p>\n

Important: for a delay, what counts is not the departure time, but the arrival time at your final destination. And it\u2019s not the moment at arrival the wheels touch the runway, but the time when the plane doors open and passengers start disembarking.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The new electronic boarding pass was already in the Vueling app, and the airline representative also printed a paper copy as a keepsake. At the same time, I received a meal voucher. It covered anything at the nearest caf\u00e9, but up to 11 euros. A chicken sandwich and a bottle of water cost 12 euros, so I paid the difference.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Submitting a compensation claim<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are a few ways to submit a compensation claim:<\/p>\n