American Airlines Delay and Cancellation Compensation

How to Get Compensation For Disrupted Flights

According to the EU 261 legislation, you are entitled to American Airlines compensation if your flight delay was more than 3 hours. In this circumstance, American Airlines could owe you compensation to $700 for the inconvenience their flight delay caused.

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American Airlines passengers are entitled to a delay compensation in the event of any of the following:

• Flight delay: If your American Airlines flight arrived at your destination more than 3 hours after ETA.
• Flight Cancellation: if you were not informed of cancellation or informed less than 14 days before departure.

Table of contents:

1. When Can You Claim Compensation?
2. American Airlines Flight Delays Compensation: How Much Can You Claim?
3. American Airlines Cancelled Flight Compensation
4. What Can You Demand if Flight is Cancelled?
5. Summary

Depending on the distance of your flight you can claim different compensation:

• below 1500 km — €250
• 1500–3500 km — €400
• more than 3500 km — €600

If you have troubles calculating how much American Airlines owe you, don’t hesitate to turn to AirHelp for assistance. Leave your trouble to us, and we’ll help you solve your matter to calculate how much money this airline owes you.

When Can You Claim Compensation?

Flights are being postponed and cancelled all the time, but unfortunately only 66% of passengers who encountered disrupted departures exercise their rights and ask for their legally owed compensation.

Let’s see when you’re eligible to get paid for your discomfort from an airline company.

According to American Airlines delay policy, you can claim compensation if:

• the flight was delayed for more than 3 hours after the estimated time of arrival;
• boarding was denied because your flight was overbooked;
• the flight was cancelled or/and you were informed of cancellation less than 14 days before the day of departure
• a connected flight was missed because of the delayed flight and you reached your destination more than 3 hours after it was expected

Still, the EU261 states that compensation is not qualified in case the flight was delayed because of extraordinary circumstances. What constitutes some exceptional circumstances? Incidents such as strikes, political instability, unavoidable security risks or bad weather.

To put it simply, your compensation depends on whether your delay of departure was American Airlines fault or not.

If you feel confused whether you flight qualifies for compensation, you can contact AirHelp, and we’ll help you solve the problem. Just provide us with your travelling details and we’ll check your compensation eligibility.

American Airlines Flight Delays Compensation: How Much Can You Claim?

We’ve already mentioned that the reimbursement money vary from €250 to €600, depending on the distance of your flight. Yet, there are some peculiar details that need to be mentioned and clarified.

First, let’s remind you that you can file for compensation only if the flight was delayed for three hours or more. You can receive €250, €400, €600 compensation for short, medium and long distance flights respectively. There’s also €300 compensation if the delay is between three to four hours.

Secondly, in case your departure was postponed, but for money compensation, you’re entitled to American Airlines various services and benefits.

Let’s see what you can get.

You’re eligible for free refreshments and free food, access to 2 phone calls, emails or faxes, if there was:

• a 2-hour flight delay (for short distance flights up to 1500 km);
• a 3-hour flight delay (for medium distance flights between 1500–3500 km);
• a 4-hour flight delay (for long distance flights from 3500 km)

Plus, if your flight was postponed for more than 5 hours, no matter how long was the distance, you can withdraw from it. This makes American Airlines responsible to ensure you with a full refund for your flight, or they are to provide you with alternative means of transportation to your destination.

Also, if the delay of your flight was longer than 5 hours, you have rights to ask for a flight back to the first airport of your departure. In other words, to your original place of departure.

In case the departure is put off until the next day, you have the rights to be provided with a hotel room to spend the night and transportation from and to the airport. Don’t hesitate to ask American Airlines for confirmation of these services in writing.

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American Airlines Cancelled Flight Compensation

So your flight was cancelled. Usually, American Airlines try to solve the matter instantly by rebooking their passengers onto another one. But what if it doesn’t agree with your plans? Certainly, you deserve being compensated for your inconvenience.

Let’s clarify when you have rights to file for compensation in case your flight was cancelled:

• if flight cancellation was American Airlines fault;
• if you were notified less than 14 days before the departure;
• if you weren’t proposed any alternative flight

It’s worth mentioning that in case you were notified about flight cancellation from 7 to 14 days before the departure and alternative flight took off no more than 2 hours earlier than your intended flight, and arrived to your destination less than 4 hours later than your original flight, you don’t have rights for compensation.

What is more, there are some conditions that should be met on your part as a passenger, so your cancelled flight can qualify for compensation:

• you checked in for your flight on time (usually no less than 45 minutes before your departure);
• this incident occurred in the last 6 years

Keep in mind that if the flight was cancelled due to some extraordinary circumstances, it doesn’t qualify for any reparation. Such exceptional circumstances include bad weather (fog, lightning strike, storm, for instance), medical emergencies, strikes by air control traffic staff, or political instability. Yet, such ‘technical or operational difficulties’ aren’t considered extraordinary circumstances.

If your cancelled flight qualifies for compensation, you can receive:

• €250 for short distance flights (up to 1500 km);
• €400 for medium distance flights (1500–3500 km);
• €600 for long distance flights (more than 3500 km)

Another thing worth mentioning is if your ticket was in the second class for instance, and your alternative ticket was in the first class, you don’t need to сover the difference. However, in vice versa situation, if your ticket was in a higher class, American Airlines are obliged to refund 30/50/70 percent of the cost of your ticket.

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What Can You Demand if Flight is Cancelled?

No matter whose fault it is, if the flight is cancelled, American Airlines is required to provide you with maximum comfort.

Passengers have the rights to get free food and refreshments, as well as they have rights to make 2 phone calls, write emails or faxes. You get these benefits under the condition that you’ve been waiting at the airport longer than 2 hours.

If your flight was cancelled, you have the right to get a refund for your ticket. You can receive your money in cash, by card transfer, or by cheque.

If an alternative flight doesn’t coincide with your plans, you have rights to ask for a flight to the original point of your departure.

In case an alternative flight doesn’t take a passenger to the intended airport in their city, but to an alternative one, an airline has to pay for the transport expenses to the intended airport; or an airline has to cover the expenses for the transportation to an agreed nearby destination.

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Summary:

Summing up, let’s provide you with a quick guide on American Airlines Compensation:

• You may qualify for compensation if your flight was delayed for more than 3 hours or it was cancelled and you were informed of cancellation less than 14 days before the day of departure.
• You can get €250, €400, €600 compensation for short, medium and long distance flights respectively.
• American Airlines is obliged to provide you with free drinks and free food, access to 2 phone calls, emails or faxes if your flight was postponed for more than 2 hours.
• You can ask for a refund in case of 5 hours+ delay or flight cancellation.
• You can get compensation if the incident happened within the last 6 years.

If you’re still confused whether your situation qualifies for compensation, feel free to contact AirHelp to handle your problem.

This article contains affiliate links to AirHelp