If you would like to claim compensation for a flight delay, cancellation, or if you were denied boarding, you can download one of our free flight compensation claim letter templates to send to the airline.
As specialist flight compensation solicitors, we can handle your claim for you, but we also recognise that some passengers would prefer to claim directly with the airline. That’s why we make our template letters available for free, giving you the option to start and manage the claim yourself.
You can also check if your flight is claimable for free using our flight compensation checker. It’ll give you an instant decision on whether you may be eligible to claim and how much compensation you could be entitled to under EU261 or UK261.
Why Choose Bott and Co?
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Over £86m Claimed
We've claimed more compensation from the airlines than any other UK firm.
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A History Of Success
Industry leading success rates and described by Martin Lewis as “pioneers” in our field.
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SRA Regulated
We are a law firm, not a claims management company. Your claim is in safe hands.
Download A Free Flight Compensation Claim Letter
Our expert flight compensation solicitors have created three template letters covering flight delays, cancellations and denied boarding. Simply choose the letter that applies to you, add your flight details and send it to the airline.
Choose the sample compensation letter that matches what happened to your flight:
Free Flight Delay Compensation Letter Template
Download our free sample flight delay compensation letter template if your flight was delayed and you believe you are entitled to compensation.
All you need to do is add your flight number, date of travel, departure and arrival airports, and the scheduled and actual arrival times in the spaces provided.
You can also add the passenger names you’d like to include in your claim, the amount of compensation you’re claiming for each passenger and details of any additional expenses you’d like the airline to reimburse.
Flight Delay Compensation Template Letter
Free Flight Cancellation Compensation Letter Template
Our sample flight cancellation compensation letter is available to download for passengers who have had their flight cancelled and believe you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Just add your flight number, date of travel, and departure and arrival airports in the spaces provided.
There are also spaces to list everyone included in the claim, the compensation amount you are looking to claim for each passenger and any additional expenses you’d like reimbursed.
Flight Cancellation Compensation Template Letter
Denied Boarding Compensation Letter Template
Our denied boarding compensation letter template is available for download for passengers who would like to claim compensation after being denied boarding.
Complete the letter by adding your flight number, date of travel and the airports you were due to fly between.
You can then list the passengers included in your claim, how much compensation you’re claiming for each passenger and any additional expenses you’d like the airline to reimburse.
Denied Boarding Compensation Template Letter
How To Write A Flight Delay Complaint Letter
Our free flight compensation letters provide the exact format and wording needed, so you don’t have to write your letter from scratch.
What Information Do I Need To Include In A Flight Compensation Letter?
Our sample letters are formatted to make it easy to add the key details you should include:
- Your details: Include your full name, address, email address and telephone number.
- Your flight: Add your booking reference, flight number, date of travel and departure and arrival airports.
- What happened: Provide details of whether your flight was delayed, cancelled, or you were denied boarding. For a delayed flight, include the scheduled arrival time and the time you actually arrived at your final destination.
- Your right to claim: Refer to UK261 or EU261, depending on which regulation applies to your flight.
- The compensation you’re claiming: State how much compensation you’re claiming and ask the airline to respond within 14 days.
Check that all of the information is correct before sending your completed compensation letter to the airline.
What Documents Should I Send With My Flight Compensation Claim Letter?
It can help to keep any documents and correspondence relating to your flight in case the airline asks for more information. We recommend sending copies to the airline and keeping the originals for your own records.
This could include your booking confirmation or e-ticket, boarding pass and any emails or text messages you received from the airline about the disruption.
If you’re also asking the airline to reimburse expenses you paid because of the disruption, include copies of your receipts and keep the originals.
If you paid for food, accommodation or other reasonable expenses while waiting for a delayed flight, you can also use our flight delay expenses template letter to claim these costs back from the airline.
Where Do I Send My Flight Compensation Claim Letter?
Most airlines now allow passengers to submit flight compensation claims through a claims form on their website.
If you’d prefer to send your claim by post, check the airline’s website for its postal or customer relations address.
You can usually find this on its contact, complaints, or customer service pages. Make sure you use the address the airline provides for customer correspondence or compensation claims, rather than simply sending your letter to its registered office.
We recommend keeping a copy of your completed letter and any documents you send with it. If you’re sending your claim by post, you may also want to use a tracked postal service so you have a record of delivery.
If you submit your claim online and receive a claim reference from the airline, keep this too, as you may need it if you have to contact them again.
Claim By Airline
How Long Should I Give The Airline To Respond After Submitting My Claim?
Our flight compensation letter templates ask the airline to respond to your claim within 14 days.
If you don’t receive a response, you can contact the airline again and ask for an update on your claim.
For passengers represented by Bott and Co, we issue court proceedings within 30 days to ensure your claim is progressed as quickly as legally possible. This is just one part of the legal service we provide when handling your claim.
What Should I Do If The Airline Says My Flight Was Affected By Extraordinary Circumstances?
It is not uncommon for an airline to reject a flight compensation claim because it says extraordinary circumstances caused the disruption.
An airline does not have to pay compensation if it can prove that extraordinary circumstances caused the delay or cancellation and that the disruption could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
However, it can be difficult for passengers to know the actual cause of the delay or cancellation.
Check any information or evidence you were given during the disruption, including emails, text messages and announcements explaining what happened. You can compare this with the reason the airline has subsequently given for rejecting your claim.
Alternatively, enter your flight details into our free flight compensation checker. We’ll check the circumstances surrounding your flight and give you an instant decision on whether you may be eligible to claim compensation.
Recent Successful Flight Compensation Claims
Bott and Co help couple receive £350 each in compensation after arriving on holiday to Corfu late.
We secured compensation for family of 3 who missed a day of their holiday due to flight cancellation.
Family receive £350 compensation each after Jet2 flight to Manchester from Antalya was delayed for 22.5 hours.
Family instruct Bott and Co after missing connecting flight to London due to BA departure delay at JFK Airport.
We helped family of 4 flying from Lithuania to London receive £350 each for flight cancellation.
Family of 4 returning from their holiday in Turkey arrive home 2 days late following flight cancellation.
Passengers receive £350 each after their flight to Tunisia was cancelled and rescheduled for 24 hours later.
Family going to Miami with American Airlines were rerouted to New York AND Dallas before arriving in California.
Family of 4's delay at Birmingham Airport led to missed connection in Dubai and new flight given 3 days later.
What Should I Do If The Airline Rejects My Flight Compensation Claim?
Don’t assume that the airline’s decision is necessarily correct if your compensation claim is rejected.
Bott and Co has successfully handled thousands of flight compensation claims that airlines originally rejected. Whether you can challenge the decision depends on what happened to your flight and the reason the airline provided for turning down your claim.
If your claim has been rejected, enter your flight details into our free flight compensation checker. We can check whether your flight may be eligible for compensation and, if we believe you have a valid claim, you can sign up for our specialist flight compensation solicitors to represent you.
Can Bott And Co Take Over My Flight Compensation Claim If The Airline Rejects It?
Yes. Our specialist flight compensation solicitors can take over claims that have already been rejected by an airline and pursue them on a no win no fee basis.
We have access to flight data and information that may not be available to individual passengers, extensive knowledge of flight compensation law and years of experience dealing directly with airlines and their legal teams.
Having successfully recovered compensation for thousands of passengers whose claims were initially rejected, we know how to investigate the reason given by an airline, identify when a claim should be challenged and pursue the compensation we believe you are entitled to.
Meet Our Solicitors
Coby Benson
A member of The Law Society and a SRA Registered Solicitor, Coby has been instrumental in establishing flight delay compensation law in the UK, including playing a significant part in the landmark cases of Huzar v Jet2 and Dawson v Thomson at The Supreme Court.
Coby is regularly asked for comment in the national media, regularly featuring in The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent as well as appearing on BBC Television, Sky News, ITV and BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live.
