Millions of passengers entitled to compensation after summer disruptions

New figures from AirHelp have revealed that more than 12.8 million passengers worldwide were entitled to compensation from their airlines for their journeys this summer.

Powers in the UK

AirHelp said 78 million passengers departed or arrived in the UK between June and August this year, with 33 million (42%) experiencing disruption. A further three million people had their flights cancelled and 872,000 passengers missed their connecting flights.

This meant that more than 2.4 million passengers in the UK were eligible for compensation under rules such as UK 261 and EC 261 this summer. The peak in passengers entitled to compensation was recorded in August (843,000).

Powers in the EU

More than 38% (112 million) of the 295 million passengers who flew to or from the EU this summer experienced flight disruptions. An additional six million people had their flights cancelled and two million passengers missed connecting flights.

Under air passenger rights rules, more than 7.4 million passengers in Europe were entitled to compensation between June and August this year. A closer look at the data reveals that 2.6 million people who travelled in July were entitled to compensation, making this the highest figure for the three-month period.

Analysis of European airports

When it comes to departures from all EU and UK airports, London Heathrow saw the highest number of people entitled to compensation (263,000) between June and August 2024. They were closely followed by Frankfurt Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, with 249,000 and 245,000 passengers entitled to compensation respectively. London Gatwick was not far behind, with 230,000 eligible travellers during the period.

Under UK 261 and EC 261 regulations, UK passengers are entitled to flight compensation of up to £520 if their flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, is delayed by more than three hours or is denied boarding because it is overbooked – in all cases where the airline is at fault.

“Eighty-five percent of passengers worldwide are unaware of their rights, and our mission is to better inform them about the laws that protect them when they travel. This summer has seen unprecedented levels of disruption from strikes, aircraft shortages and schedule conflicts, so it has never been more important for passengers to understand how to claim the compensation they are entitled to now and in the future,” concluded Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp.