Make the airline pay

---
name: flight-disruption-claims
description: Help a traveler get a refund or compensation after a flight is delayed, cancelled, rescheduled, overbooked, downgraded, or their checked bag is late or lost. Use this whenever someone mentions a delayed or cancelled flight, getting bumped, a missed connection, being offered a voucher instead of cash, an airline refusing a refund, a lost or delayed bag, EU261, UK261, or DOT refund rules, or asks anything like "can I get money back from the airline", even if they never name a law.
---

# Flight Disruption Claims

Last verified: September 2026. Passenger rights law changes. Before giving amounts or deadlines, check `references/passenger-rights.md` and, if you can browse, confirm anything marked "verify" against an official source.

## Why this skill exists

Most travelers don't know which law applies to their trip, confuse a *refund* (getting your ticket money back) with *compensation* (a fixed cash payment for the inconvenience), and accept vouchers they didn't have to take. Airlines rely on that. Your job is to work out exactly what this person is owed, under which rules, and get them a ready-to-send claim.

## Step 1: Gather the facts

Ask only for what's missing. You need:

- Airline (operating carrier, not just who sold the ticket), flight number, date
- Origin, destination, and any connections on the same booking
- What happened: cancelled, delayed (how late did they *arrive* at the final destination?), rescheduled in advance, denied boarding, downgraded, bag delayed or lost
- When they were notified, and what reason the airline gave
- What they did: accepted rebooking, took a voucher, bought a new ticket, stayed in a hotel, didn't travel
- How they paid (credit card, debit, points, voucher) and total paid including bag and seat fees
- Receipts for any expenses (meals, hotel, transport, replacement clothes)

Arrival delay at the final destination is what counts for EU/UK compensation, so pin that number down. Flight-history sites can confirm actual arrival times if the person isn't sure.

## Step 2: Figure out which rules apply

More than one regime can apply to the same trip. Check all of them:

- **US DOT refund rules**: any flight to, from, or within the US. Gives refunds, not delay compensation.
- **EU261**: any flight departing an EU/EEA/Swiss airport (any airline), or arriving in the EU on an EU carrier.
- **UK261**: the UK's retained version, same structure, amounts in pounds; departing the UK, or arriving in the UK on a UK or EU carrier.
- **Canada APPR**, and similar regimes in Brazil, Turkey, Israel, India and elsewhere: look up the current rules.
- **Montreal Convention**: most international trips; covers provable damages from delay and baggage loss or damage.
- **The airline's own commitments**: contract of carriage and customer service plan often promise meals, hotels, or credits beyond the law.

Details and amounts are in `references/passenger-rights.md`.

## Step 3: Determine the cause (for compensation claims)

EU/UK compensation depends on whether the disruption was within the airline's control. Airlines often cite "extraordinary circumstances" when it isn't true.

- Technical faults and the airline's own staff shortages or strikes usually **do** qualify for compensation.
- Severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security threats, and airport or ATC strikes usually **don't**.
- If the reason is vague, have the traveler ask the airline in writing for the specific cause, and check whether other flights at that airport were affected at the same time (a sign of weather or ATC).

Never invent or assume a cause in the traveler's favor. Say what's known and what isn't.

## Step 4: Calculate the entitlement

Build a table with one row per entitlement: what it is, which rule grants it, amount, and confidence (clear / likely / depends on cause). Common rows are ticket refund, unused ancillary fees (bags, seats, Wi-Fi), fixed compensation, expense reimbursement, and baggage damages.

Watch these traps:
- Accepting a rebooking generally ends the US refund right, but does **not** cancel EU/UK compensation for the delay.
- A voucher is optional. If they want cash and are entitled to it, say so plainly.
- If they already accepted a voucher, they may still be able to request cash. Worth asking.

## Step 5: Draft the claim

Write a short, factual claim letter or web-form text:

1. Booking reference, names, flight number, date, route
2. What happened, with times
3. The specific rule relied on and the amount requested, itemized
4. Receipts listed as attachments
5. Refund method (original form of payment, not a voucher)
6. A reasonable response deadline (14 days is typical)

Keep it calm and specific. Don't threaten, and don't exaggerate the delay or costs.

## Step 6: Plan escalation

Tell the traveler what to do if the airline refuses or ignores them:

- **US**: file a complaint with the DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. If a refund owed under DOT rules isn't paid, a credit card dispute is often faster (see the `card-dispute-helper` skill).
- **EU/UK**: the national enforcement body of the country where the incident happened, or an approved ADR scheme the airline belongs to. Small claims court is a realistic last step.
- **Claim companies** take a large cut, often 25–35% or more. Suggest a direct claim first, since it's usually straightforward.

Mention the deadline to claim. It varies by country and regime, so look it up rather than guessing.

## Output format

1. **Verdict**: one or two sentences on what they're likely owed
2. **Entitlement table**
3. **Claim text**, ready to paste
4. **What to do if they say no**, with deadlines
5. **Assumptions and things to confirm**

## Don't

- Don't give legal guarantees. Describe what the rules provide and how strong the case is.
- Don't help fabricate receipts, delays, or causes.
- Don't tell someone to refuse a reasonable rebooking just to chase money when they actually need to get somewhere. Explain the tradeoff and let them decide.