Flight Delayed or Cancelled? What You're Actually Owed
Anyone whose flight to or from Sri Lanka was delayed, cancelled or overbooked.
Long-haul trips with at least one connection — which almost every flight to Sri Lanka involves — carry a real chance of a delay, cancellation, or missed connection somewhere along the way. Most travellers assume there's nothing to be done about it beyond rebooking and moving on. That's often wrong: depending on the airline, the route, and the reason for the disruption, you may be entitled to real cash compensation, separate from any rebooking or refund the airline already offered.
Think you might be owed something? Compare the two claim services we recommend — both let you check for free.
When compensation actually applies
EU-style flight compensation rules (which cover flights operated by EU airlines, or flights departing the EU regardless of airline) can apply even to a booking that's mostly outside Europe, if one leg of a connecting itinerary touches an EU airport or airline. Typical triggers: a delay of 3+ hours on arrival, a cancellation announced less than 14 days before departure, or being denied boarding due to overbooking. It doesn't apply to every disruption — weather, strikes, and other "extraordinary circumstances" are usually exempted, and airlines will cite these where they can.
Why most people never claim
The process involves identifying the right regulation, gathering documentation, and often negotiating with an airline that has no incentive to pay out quickly. That friction is exactly why most eligible passengers never file a claim at all — not because they aren't owed anything, but because doing it yourself is enough hassle that it doesn't feel worth it for what might be a few hundred euros. A claims service exists specifically to remove that friction: you submit your flight details, they work out if you're eligible, and they handle the airline directly.
Two services, two different trade-offs
We recommend two different flight compensation services, because they genuinely suit different situations rather than one being simply better than the other — see our comparison page for the honest breakdown of how each one pays and how long it takes.
Both let you check for free — submitting your flight details to see if you're eligible costs nothing either way, and neither service is paid unless your claim is successful.
Whichever you use, the same rule applies: it costs nothing to check, so there's no real reason not to, even if you assume the delay "probably doesn't count."