In this AirHelp review, I’ll share my personal experience and opinion on the delayed flight compensation service after using AirHelp to get $162 in compensation.
During my European trip this summer, my flight from Tirana to Vienna was delayed for over 5 hours, which was twice the duration of the flight itself. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience. However, I managed to receive $162 in airline compensation by using AirHelp. The process involved about 10 minutes of paperwork on my end and required a lot of patience during the three months it took for the claim to be processed.
After this experience, what are my thoughts on AirHelp? Is AirHelp a worthwhile service? Is AirHelp trustworthy? Let’s explore these questions in detail.
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What is AirHelp?
AirHelp is a service that represents passengers in claims against airlines under EC 261 / 2004, the European Union’s Air Passenger Rights law that requires payments to passengers for certain flight disruptions, including flight delays in excess of three hours.
AirHelp applies a fixed 35% service fee, which they only collect in the event of a successful claim. They simply subtract the service fee from your compensation payment.
AirHelp Review Quick Summary
In General, AirHelp is a valuable service that alleviates the burden of paperwork and saves time. The process is extremely straightforward, and they only receive payment if you do.
Pros:
- Super easy (total work = 10 minutes)
- AirHelp manages all the hard parts
- No risk, no upfront payment
Cons:
- Airline claims take months (not AirHelp’s fault though)
- You could save 35% by doing it yourself (if you can figure out how)
Start Your Claim with AirHelp
Overall, I was very pleased with my AirHelp experience. In total, I spent about 10 minutes filling out some documents, and then waited three months for the claim to settle.
AirHelp managed to secure 250 euros in compensation for me, and they retained 88 euros for their service. As I opted for payment in dollars, I received approximately $162.
Technically, I could have represented myself and potentially kept the 88 euros as well. I briefly considered that option. However, here’s the catch:
Even though I am a trained and licensed attorney in the US, I did not feel comfortable navigating the bureaucracy and paperwork of trying to go up against a large airline. Honestly, I probably would have just given up had I attempted it myself.
The AirHelp service was incredibly straightforward and hassle-free. I struggle to envision any improvements, aside from the possibility of a lower service fee. Nonetheless, I believe the service fee was reasonable, given the amount of time and stress AirHelp saved me.
Pros of AirHelp
- Super easy to file a claim (took me 10 minutes)
- AirHelp manages the claims paperwork
- You pay nothing upfront (only when your claim is paid)
- Money is automatically deposited after your claim is approved
Cons of AirHelp
- AirHelp takes a cut of your compensation
- The process takes several months (though that’s not AirHelp’s fault)
- Support can be hard to reach (pro tip: search for “Contact Us” form in your dashboard or email info@airhelp.com to reach AirHelp)
AirHelp is best for:
- Anyone affected by an eligible flight delay, flight cancellation, airline crew strike, airline overbooking, baggage delay, or boarding denial
- Travelers who want to assert their rights without a ton of messy paperwork
AirHelp might not be a fit for:
- Passengers who have the skill, time, and patience to file claims directly without a representative
How AirHelp Works (Full Review of My Experience)
AirHelp represents passengers in claims against airlines for the following types of flight disruptions:
- Flight delay compensation
- Flight cancellation compensation
- Missed connection compensation
- Overbooking compensation
- Denied boarding compensation
- Delayed baggage compensation
- Airline strike compensation
Most of the legal rights involved affects flights to or from the EU, under EU Regulation EC 261. However, they also assist with claim’s under Brazil’s regulations and the Montreal Convention.
One of the main draws of AirHelp is just how simple the process is. Let me walk you through how using AirHelp works, and share my take on each step of the process.
I personally used AirHelp for a flight delay compensation claim, which I suspect is the most common reason most readers would need the company’s service.
Check Now: Arhelp.com
Step One: Check Eligibility for Compensation (2 Minutes)
The first step to using AirHelp is to go here and input your flight details. The system will pull up a database of flights so that it can check if yours is potentially eligible for compensation.
To be eligible for compensation under EC 261 / 2004, the European Union’s Air Passenger Rights law, your flight must have:
- Departed or landed in the EU
- Been delayed in arriving by more than three hours
- Not been delayed due to “extraordinary circumstances” (bad weather is the most common one claimed by airlines)
The amount of compensation passengers are entitled to under the law varies based upon how far the flight was supposed to travel, and how long the delay was. The compensation scale goes from 250 euros on the low end to up to 600 euros for longer delays or cancellations.
Checking my eligibility took me less than 2 minutes. In my case, my flight from Tirana to Vienna was delayed by more than 5 hours. But because it was a short flight of less than 1,500 kilometers, I was only eligible for the 250 euro minimum payment. But, hey, even after AirHelp’s cut that still comes out to more than the cost of the flight in the first place!
Step Two: Fill Out the Required Documentation of Your Flight Delay or Cancellation (5 Minutes)
Check Now: Arhelp.com
Next, AirHelp asks for some simple documentation of your flight. You have to provide your booking reference number, your address, and your name.
Then you sign a document that basically authorizes AirHelp to represent you in this claim, and in which you also agree to their 35% service fee if they are successful. You don’t have to print anything out – or even download anything at all. I signed the document with my mouse right on their website.
You then submit a copy of your boarding pass or e-ticket.
Lastly, there is an (optional) section where you can describe what happened on your flight. As you can see above, I chose to provide some extra detail.
In total, the entire AirHelp documentation process took me about 5 minutes to complete.
Step Three: Wait While AirHelp Handles Your Claim (Several Months)
After you submit our documentation, AirHelp generates a claim number you can use to track your claim. Their team then investigates the claim and advocates on your behalf to the airline.
The only thing you have to do is simply wait … several months. While this is annoying, as a recovering lawyer, I can tell you that this is just how any claim procedures tend to work.
Unfortunately, EC Regulation No. 261/2004 does not require the airline to process claims by any particular deadline. The airlines thus have the incentive to drag their feet in the hopes that claimants simply give up. But this is why I am thankful that AirHelp was handling it on my behalf.
Check Now: Arhelp.com
About a month after my claim, AirHelp sent me an email with a question about my e-ticket document. This was likely because I used points to book the flight through United’s Star Alliance award booking system, so my ticket didn’t come directly from the airline in question (Austrian Airlines). It took me about two minutes to reply, and then the waiting continued.
Step Four: Enter Bank Details to Receive Compensation (3 Minutes)
About three months after I submitted my claim, I got an email from AirHelp saying my claim was ready to collect.
I just had to click a button and quickly fill in all the relevant information for the free bank transfer. Three days later, bam, there was $162.30 sitting in my bank account!
AirHelp did offer the option to use part of the compensation to join “AirHelp Plus.”
AirHelp Plus is a subscription service that costs 19.99 euros per year and basically waives the AirHelp fee on future claims. Since I was planning to leave the EU pretty soon, I declined the offer. But it might be worth it if you fly a lot within the EU (especially given how common flight delays are these days).
Check Now: Arhelp.com
FINAL VERDICT – Is AirHelp Worth It?
But I am happy to pay that $80 difference to AirHelp. It simply was not worth the time and stress, plus the possibility that I either messed something up or gave up on the process altogether and got $0.
I would definitely use AirHelp again the next time I have a delayed flight to the European Union. The only downside is the 35% service charge. While it’s hefty, all in all, I think it is fair given the seamless service that AirHelp provides.
AirHelp Alternatives
AirHelp is not the only company that offers flight compensation representation services. Although I haven’t (yet) personally tested the below services, they are alternatives to consider if for some reason AirHelp doesn’t meet your needs.
Sky Cop
Skycop is another flight compensation company that helps you submit a claim if you are affected by delayed, canceled, or overbooked flights.
Sky Cop’s success fee is slightly lower than AirHelps, at 30% (vs 35%). Sky Cop otherwise appears very similar to AirHelp, so I will likely try them out the next time I encounter flight disruptions in an EU airport or EU country.
Claim Compass
Like AirHelp, Claim Compass is a service that represents passengers affected by delayed and canceled flights in collecting all the documents and filing a compensation claim for eligible flights.
Also, like AirHelp, they charge a 35% success fee that only gets paid when the company secures financial compensation from the airline companies involved.
Personally, I felt that the AirHelp appeared more user friendly than Claim Compass’s, which is why I went with AirHelp. But I would be open to considering Claim Compass as an alternative for future delayed flights.
FAQs About AirHelp
Is AirHelp legitimate?
AirHelp is a legitimate company. AirHelp is a flight compensation representation service. AirHelp has served over 16 million passengers, mostly in the European Union. In my case, it succeeded in helping me to get $162 in compensation for a delayed flight I took in an EU country.
Does AirHelp work in the US?
AirHelp does not work for flights solely within the United States. This is because the United States does not have an equivalent compensation law like EC Regulation No. 261/2004, the EU rules that require money to be paid to customers of canceled flights or delayed flights. AirHelp will work so long as a flight originates from or terminates in an EU country, but it will not work for flights solely within the US.
How do I claim compensation for a canceled flight?
To claim compensation for a canceled flight, simply go to AirHelp and enter your flight details. Fill in the required information and sign the document to assign your claim to AirHelp. Then wait for AirHelp to represent you to the airline and, hopefully, get some money back for you.
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Considering how little effort it required of me, and that I ultimately could claim $162 that I probably otherwise would not have received, I can confidently say that I would definitely use AirHelp again.
That’s it for this AirHelp review. I hope I’ve helped you figure out if AirHelp is right for your circumstances. Next up, check out my guide on finding cheap international flights for your next adventure!
Check Now: Arhelp.com
Overall, AirHelp is a useful service that saves time and paperwork headache of filing for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights in the European Union. The process is super simple and they don’t get paid unless you do.
