How do I claim compensation for a suddenly canceled American Airlines flight?

American Airlines is supposed to compensate passengers whose flights are canceled, in accordance with EU regulations. This airline is sometimes required to pay compensation for the benefit of thousands of passengers suffering from surprise flight cancellations.

What are you entitled to?

Under EU regulation 261/2004, holidaymakers have certain rights if their flight is canceled or delayed. The flight must have taken off from an EU airport, operated by an airline, or it must arrive at an EU airport and be operated by an EU airline. The EU airport also includes the following countries; Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

First, airlines must offer an alternative flight or a full refund if your flight has been canceled.
You can also get a full refund if the flight was not canceled but was delayed for more than five hours and you no longer wish to travel.

American Airlines has announced several times that it will fully reimburse its passengers who cannot fly at a later date after their first flight is canceled.

Airlines should also provide you with meals, refreshments and a hotel room, if available, while you wait for a rescheduled flight for delays and cancellations. They should also cover the cost of transportation between the hotel and the airport.

The US carrier asks travelers to keep receipts for food, transportation or accommodation to use when making a claim.

Under EU law, you are also entitled to compensation for delays which mean you are at least three hours late when you arrive at your destination, but the amount depends on how far you fly and how far you are flying, duration of delay.

How much can you get by claiming compensation from American Airlines as a result of your canceled departure?

A Flight cancellation	Trip distance	Amount of compensation
At least three hours	Less than 1500 km	250€
Three to four hours	Between 1500 km and 3500 km	400€
At least four hours	More than 3,500 km	600€

What if you have booked an alternative trip?

If you changed your booking for another trip because you couldn’t wait for a replacement flight with it, you may not be automatically refunded. What if American Airlines claims it is an extraordinary circumstance?

Airlines don’t always have to pay and can avoid paying if the delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather or crew strikes.

In the past, airlines have consistently refused to pay for delays caused by technical faults, claiming they count as extraordinary events.

How to request compensation from the American company?

Passengers can make a claim by telling their carrier their flight number, the names of the passengers and the reason for the delay (we’ve included sample letters at the end of this guide).
If you don’t remember the length of the delay, the Air-indemnite.com website offers a free service and will show you how long a flight has been delayed, although it does not indicate the reason for the delay.

If your flight is canceled, American Airlines must transfer you to another flight. In the meantime, as with the delay, the company has an obligation to take care of you. The compensation amounts are the same as for a delayed flight. You can also forgo your trip and request a full refund for your flight.

Exceptional circumstances

If the delay is due to force majeure, you cannot claim any compensation. This is an extraordinary situation that the air carrier could not avoid, not foresee.

In the event of a cancellation, no compensation is to be expected if you were informed of the cancellation two weeks before departure or if the airline offers you a seat on another flight at a time close to the one planned.

Missed connection due to American Airlines

If you are not the cause of this situation, you are protected by European regulations and you can request financial compensation from the airline. In the event of a delay of at least 5 hours, and if you decide not to leave, you can also request a refund of your ticket and the cost of your return flight to your original point of departure.

What is compensation for a canceled flight?

This is a law introduced in Congress to help compensate passengers who have been on board a commercial aircraft that has been forced to land due to bad weather conditions or aircraft maintenance issues. Many times, airline pilots and air traffic controllers give the proper instructions for a flight to be put back on the runway before the weather conditions get too extreme. However, the weather is not always predictable. And when it’s there, it can be pretty bad.

Airlines are required by law to provide compensation for delays of up to two hours inclusive. If an airline such as American Airlines exceeds this limit, it can be held financially responsible. There are times when an airline can put a passenger on a flight that cannot be taken due to bad weather conditions. In such a situation, an alternative flight may be offered.

So how much compensation can a passenger be entitled to when their flight is canceled? This answer depends on the circumstances of the theft. If the flight was canceled due to mechanical failures, compensation is only available to passengers who have boarded and remained on board. The airline must give at least two hours notice before the scheduled time of cancellation.

For example, suppose you are a business traveler coming to New York for business. You arrive at the airport approximately five hours before the scheduled departure time. The weather at the airport is perfect for a pleasant business trip. Your travel agent informs you that there are no more flights to New York and that you advise them that you can take your flight to that destination despite the weather conditions.

As a result, you board the plane. At the airport, however, the weather conditions would be poor and severe with overcast clouds and minor thunderstorms. You try to call the airline office but no one answers. Then the agent informs you that the air carrier has canceled their flight. When you go to their office, they tell you that the only flights left in the air are delayed baggage services, which will not leave until the next morning. As a result, you miss your connection and lose your luggage and your chance to earn money by agreeing to take your trip.

What is the compensation for this passenger? He or she paid for the flight, and the airline did not compensate him for this inconvenience. If the baggage delay was due to a mechanical failure, the airline is responsible for replacing the baggage that has been delayed. But, if the delay was due to weather conditions and the only flight available is for delayed baggage services, the carrier would have to pay to have those services enabled so you can connect to your flight. Airlines are not required to compensate for baggage delays caused by weather conditions, except in special circumstances as defined by the Civil Aviation Authority.