Air passengers have rights that not many people know about. Among the common ones is the compensation for delayed or canceled flights.
While Delta Airlines and every other airline might have a different policy, they have laid out a process to compensate their clients for inconveniences caused by something going wrong with their planned flights.
So, the next time you have a flight delay after reserving a flight with Delta Airlines or any other airline, know that you are eligible for compensation.
But, before you try to make that claim, here are some tips that will help you get approved for compensation.
Tips for getting compensated for delayed Delta flights (or any other airline)
One thing is for sure, you need to make your compensation claim the right way if you want to be successful. The following tips should help you get the compensation you deserve.
1. Get straight to the point
While there may be multiple instances you think you should have been treated better by the airline, it is essential that you keep the discussion about why you should receive compensation brief and to the point.
2. Retain your documents
Often times, passengers discard their documents when their flights have been canceled or delayed. It is a mistake they come to regret when filing compensation claims for the delay.
As such, you want to ensure that your documents are safe and readily available when needed.
3. Be calm
You have probably seen many people who couldn’t manage to keep their emotions in check when claiming compensations. It is very likely that it didn’t go well for them.
For this reason, you want to be calm and present your case professionally. This will increase your chances of getting the cash you deserve.
4. Present your issue to the right person
It is essential to make sure that your case is heard and that would require that you complain to the right authority. A crew member may not be able to help you as much as the flight supervisor can.
5. Use the right support
When you feel that claiming your compensation is too much of a task, you can get assistance by using the companies and organizations that help people follow up their compensation claims.
They do most of the work for you, especially if it is your first time, or you think you do not have adequate knowledge to make the claim.
What can you get in case of a delay?
Delta Airlines and other airlines’ flight delay compensation packages vary. If you choose to use the flight anyway, you can claim monetary compensation.
AirHelp takes care of these compensation packages not only for Delta flights but also for most airlines.
If you don’t take the trip, you should get a refund of your airfare, including all of the connections, refreshments, and accommodations, if the delay is overnight.
How to complain
You should direct your complaints to the airline officials, but if that proves difficult, use their social media platform to get the attention you need.
Should the airline not give you what you expected, you can use the claim companies mentioned above to take care of it on your behalf.
You can check this page to see the compensation per airline and find out what you’re owed with AirHelp’s eligibility checker.
When it is unlikely to be compensated for flight delays
There are times your compensation claim is justified, but others may require that you make the best of the situation.
In most instances, if not all, such times are when the cause of the delay is beyond the control of the airline.
The following are the times when Delta Airlines (and most airlines) will not compensate you for delayed flights.
1. Bad weather
When you look at it, delay due to bad weather is more of a safety concern than that of an inconvenience. It is a good thing that your flight doesn’t take off due to an incoming tornado or thunderstorm.
This will also be the case if your destination’s weather is not favorable for flight takeoff and landing. In such cases, you will not be compensated.
2. Terror threats
Another reason, although it is rare, for the delay or sometimes cancellation of flights is terror threats.
This is a security concern that Delta airline will not want to take chances on. As such, air passengers will not be compensated.
3. Air traffic control
When the patterns in the sky for the planes are full, and the air traffic controller deems it right to stop any plane takeoff, you can be sure that the airline will have no control over it.
If this is the cause of your flight delay, you will not be compensated.
4. Equipment failure at the airport
One thing you should note is that the airport is one big space with many players, and your airline is one of them.
The runway might need maintenance or a piece of equipment fails in the airport thereby causing flight delays. If that is beyond the control of your airline, do not expect to be compensated.
When your flight delay claim is justified
In conclusion, if your Delta or other airline flight was delayed due to problems that the airline could correct, you are eligible for compensation.
Make sure to follow the correct procedure and get support if you need any.
Have you ever filed a compensation claim with Delta airlines? How did you manage to make the process easier for you? Share your stories in the comments below.
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Delta cancelled a future flight and rebooked me on a flight for 11 hours later, the next day. Im checking out of the hotel on the day that the original flight was supposed to be, at 11 pm. Now they booked me on a flight for 10 am the next morning. There’s a 4 1/2 hr wait to call customer service. How to get compensation?
Hi Cheryl –
I recommend making a claim with AirHelp as they might be able to help you with this.
Hi, i just flew delta last night. It all began when i had a lay over in minneapolis, from austin to go to california. The plane was scheduled to leave at 12:20 am , we started to board at 11:30 pm. We were all belted in , waiting to leave the terminal , when the stewardess gets on the p.a. and says that we are not leaving because of a pilot issue. So, we did not get a hotel voucher. What we got was a 100.00 dollar voucher for our next flight. What t.f.? So i had to get a uber, there and from, hotel room, and food. (They did give a 15.00 food voucher, for in the airport. Which is maybe 1 meal. I feel like i was put out to fend for myself. I need covmpensation.
Had a similar situation. Did you get any compensation?
Had a flight July 30 2021, flight was delayed for 2 hours, had return flight from Anchorage Alaska on August 12 there was a 2 hour delay because of maintenance on Aircraft then non of the screens onboard the plane wouldn’t work, Delta is not a good airline anymore you can’t even get them on the phone or by text😡
My niece had here preschool graduation
. The flight was delayed 8 hours and I missed it. I also had severe osteoarthritis. They kept extending the delay 30 minutes so I could not go anywhere. Eventually they canceled the flight and rescheduled me for a different flight. By the time I reached Rochester I could barely move.
My flight with Delta destination São Paulo Brasil at 10:25pm it’s delay, I’m still sitting in the airplane it’s 3:25 am, what it’s worse it’s that we haven’t heard a word from anyone, not even apologizing for the delay,,,,HELP.
So my fligh was rebooted twice in the same day. I’m arriving 11 hours later then the original time. I dont know how much this matters but I was suppose to land at my destination a little before 1am but now landing at my layover at 540am, which they had to change my layover because I wasn’t going to make that to that flight so they rebooked my layover flight now arriving at my final destination at 11am. Oh in a city that further then my destination and having to come back to it. I’m pretty heated because I have to wait close to 7 hours in the airport. Help please!
Thank you for sharing. While compensation conditions change from airline to airline, and even the conditions that caused the delay, there might be a potential compensation here. Reach out to the airline directly and file a claim, or use AirHelp for a “hands-off” approach to filing this claim. They know all the ins and outs when it comes to filing claims, so if there’s a case here, they’ll try to get you the highest compensation possible.
I booked a trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles with Delta Vacations. The flight to Los Angeles was delayed due to lack of crew. The flight back to Atlanta was cancelled due to lack of crew. I only found out that there was a lack of crew after I spent over 2 hours on the phone with customer service just to be placed “in line” for a call back I never received. I ended up having to change my flight 4 times due to the inconvenience. On top of that upon my arrival to LAX I found that my original flight back to Atlanta actually took off. Apparently it was overbooked and I was removed from the flight. This is unacceptable. I ended up having to leave my hotel in Los Angeles and forced to take a red eye flight. The red eye flight was from Los Angeles to Orlando to Atlanta. I spent 12 hours flying for a flight that should’ve been less than half the time. I love flying with Delta and want to know how this can be compensated.
Oh wow! So sorry this happened! Hopefully, Delta might be helping in this situation, but if the process seems to stall or be too cumbersome, then I recommend proceeding with AirHelp.
I was able to get through to them three times today with zero wait..also, the agent herself told me to hang on to all receipts for reimbursement. My flight has been delayed for 2 hrs. I am pleased with Delta.
I am a US citizen flying first class from Venice, Italy in the spring. I am on a Delta co/share flight KLM to Amsterdam with only a 50 minute connection time for my flight to JFK. Is this enough time to make my connection? If for some reason I don’t make it will they compensate me if I have to agree to a basic economy seat?
Hi Sandra,
It’s hard to say if 50 minutes will be enough as it all depends on the current traffic at Amsterdam’s airport, especially if you have to go through their “TSA” in between flights. If you purchased the flights together, I believe Delta will accommodate you to a new flight if the connection is too tight. They have this connection information and often expedite passengers between flights when they have tight connections. Or, they move you to a different flight (and/or compensate, if appropriate).
Based on what you described, this is something that has to be dealt with directly with KLM/Delta as there’s no delay or cancellation on their part so far.
We were flying with Delta/KLM with a three hour layover in Amsterdam. The flight was delayed coming in to Amsterdam due to refuelling issues in Minneapolis. We missed our connecting flight in Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro. They rebooked us two days later and so we missed two days of our very expensive Safari! I would definitely recommend more then 50 mins to connect.
It can be doable, IF the previous flight is not delayed. I would get all boarding passes at the point of origin. Worst case scenario is that your bags may not get transferred, which I am sure you can live with?
I and my husband had a non-stop flight from San Francisco to Boston. Delta canceled the flight I was booked into and moved me to a one-stop flight which is nearly 2 hours earlier and that reaches 2 hours later than the originally scheduled time. Now I have an option to reschedule for another non-stop flight which is 7 hours earlier. How much monetary compensation can I expect with a flight change?
It’s hard to say without knowing the specifics, but AirHelp might be able to help.
I was scheduled to be on a flight from Syndey, Australia to Los Angeles. That flight was canceled due to mechanical problems with the aircraft…and after a subsequent reschedule/cancellation I was put on a plane leaving 5 days later…. not acceptable due to lost wages and 5x last minute hotel and living expenses. We had to rebook ourselves via a different airline.
I’ve now spent nearly 18 hours of time on the phone (mostly on hold) with Delta trying to get a cash refund and compensation. Each time, the representatives essentially tell me to submit an online form, and wait. The refund queue is minimum 30-days out. The experience has been, in a woefully inadequate word, frustrating. The last call, a woman said I’d certainly be entitled to the refund on that leg of my trip. She could not say what other compensation I’d be able to receive – even the carriage contract amount Delta says they’ll pay. No clue how this will pan out…but the entire handling of the situation seems a bit passive and overcomplicated, all of which makes me feel like I’m going to lose out in the end. We’ll see….
I reserved and paid for first class on delta but was at the last minute seated in general seating while another customer was given my first class seat. Don’t trust delta.
Disregard my previous message. Delta corrected the situation.