Airline claim letter template: 4 templates ready to send
Reviewed by José Romero Lara
EU261 aviation lawyer — 5+ years as in-house legal counsel at international airlines
Claiming against an airline almost always starts with a letter or a written form. Here are four free templates based on Regulation (EC) 261/2004 — a delay of three hours or more, a cancellation, denied boarding, and a second letter for when the airline rejects your claim or goes silent — along with what you need before you write it, how to send it, and what to do if you get nowhere.
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Check my flight for free1What you need before writing the letter
Before filling in any of the templates, gather this: without it, the airline has an easy excuse not to pay.
Your details and the booking’s: full name, address, email and booking reference (PNR).
The flight number and the scheduled date.
What happened and, if it was a delay, how many hours late you arrived (scheduled versus actual arrival time).
The article of Regulation (EC) 261/2004 you rely on: Art. 7 gives the amount, Art. 5 (cancellation) or Art. 6 (delay) give the situation, Art. 8 covers the refund and Art. 9 the costs you already paid.
The amount you are claiming, in figures: €250, €400 or €600.
A bank account (IBAN) for payment.
A reply deadline you set yourself — there is no legal one.
A note that, if there is no agreement, the next step is AESA or the courts.
2How much you can claim
Compensation per passenger (Art. 7)
Up to 1,500 km
E.g. Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–London
Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500–3,500 km
E.g. Madrid–Tenerife, Madrid–Cairo
Over 3,500 km outside the EU
E.g. Madrid–New York
3–4 hour delay on flights over 3,500 km outside the EU
Halved (Art. 7(2))
The delay counts on arrival
The delay is measured when the aircraft doors open at the destination (CJEU, C-452/13), not when it lands. If your flight had a connection on a single booking, count the delay at your final destination, not at the stopover (CJEU, C-11/11).
3Template: delay of 3 hours or more
Copy this text and replace the bracketed fields with your own details.
[YOUR FULL NAME] · [YOUR ADDRESS], [CITY, POSTCODE] · [YOUR EMAIL] · [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[AIRLINE NAME] — Customer Service / Complaints Department
[CITY], [DATE]
Subject: Compensation claim for delay — flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [FLIGHT DATE]
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing as a passenger on flight [FLIGHT NUMBER], operated by [AIRLINE NAME], scheduled from [DEPARTURE AIRPORT] to [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] on [FLIGHT DATE], booking reference [PNR].
The flight arrived [X] hours late against its scheduled arrival time ([SCHEDULED TIME] versus [ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIME], when the aircraft doors opened). As the delay is three hours or more, I am claiming the compensation set out in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 261/2004, applying the Court of Justice of the EU’s rulings in Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07) and Nelson (C-581/10).
If my flight had a connection on a single booking, the delay I am claiming is the one at my final destination, not at either stopover (CJEU, C-11/11).
Given the flight distance ([DISTANCE] km), the compensation due is €[AMOUNT] per passenger.
Please pay this amount by bank transfer to account [IBAN/ACCOUNT NUMBER] by [DEADLINE YOU CHOOSE].
If the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, please provide documentary evidence; otherwise the compensation is owed.
If I receive no reply within one month, or an unsatisfactory one, I will refer this claim to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) — whose decisions have been binding on airlines since 2 June 2023 (Order TMA/469/2023) — or take the matter to the Spanish courts of first instance.
Enclosed: boarding pass and booking confirmation.
Yours faithfully,
[SIGNATURE] · [YOUR NAME]
4Template: flight cancellation
[YOUR FULL NAME] · [YOUR ADDRESS], [CITY, POSTCODE] · [YOUR EMAIL] · [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[AIRLINE NAME] — Customer Service / Complaints Department
[CITY], [DATE]
Subject: Cancellation claim — flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [FLIGHT DATE]
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing as a passenger on flight [FLIGHT NUMBER], scheduled from [DEPARTURE AIRPORT] to [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] on [FLIGHT DATE], booking reference [PNR], which was cancelled.
I was told of the cancellation on [NOTICE DATE], [X] days before the scheduled departure. As this is [less than 14 days’ / less than 7 days’] notice, and I was not offered a replacement flight within the timing that would exempt you from payment (Art. 5(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) 261/2004), I am claiming:
1. Compensation of €[AMOUNT] per passenger under Article 7 of the Regulation, for the flight distance ([DISTANCE] km).
2. [A full refund of the unused ticket, €[AMOUNT PAID], within 7 days under Article 8(1)(a) / The alternative flight to my destination you already arranged, which I consider fulfilled].
3. Reimbursement of €[EXPENSES AMOUNT] for meals, accommodation and communications I had to pay for while waiting, under Article 9, receipts enclosed.
Please pay the above amounts by bank transfer to account [IBAN/ACCOUNT NUMBER] by [DEADLINE YOU CHOOSE].
If I receive no reply within one month, or an unsatisfactory one, I will refer this claim to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) — whose decisions have been binding on airlines since 2 June 2023 (Order TMA/469/2023) — or take the matter to the Spanish courts of first instance.
Enclosed: booking confirmation, cancellation notice and receipts.
Yours faithfully,
[SIGNATURE] · [YOUR NAME]
5Template: denied boarding
[YOUR FULL NAME] · [YOUR ADDRESS], [CITY, POSTCODE] · [YOUR EMAIL] · [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[AIRLINE NAME] — Customer Service / Complaints Department
[CITY], [DATE]
Subject: Denied boarding claim — flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [FLIGHT DATE]
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing as a passenger on flight [FLIGHT NUMBER], scheduled from [DEPARTURE AIRPORT] to [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] on [FLIGHT DATE], booking reference [PNR]. Despite checking in and reaching the gate on time with a confirmed booking, I was involuntarily denied boarding due to overbooking.
Under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) 261/2004, involuntary denied boarding entitles me to the compensation in Article 7, which for this flight distance ([DISTANCE] km) comes to €[AMOUNT] per passenger.
I am also claiming, under Article 8, [a refund of my ticket / the alternative flight to my destination, which eventually arrived [X] hours after the original scheduled arrival], and reimbursement of €[EXPENSES AMOUNT] for meals and accommodation I had to pay for while waiting (Article 9), receipts enclosed.
Please pay the above amounts by bank transfer to account [IBAN/ACCOUNT NUMBER] by [DEADLINE YOU CHOOSE].
If I receive no reply within one month, or an unsatisfactory one, I will refer this claim to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) — whose decisions have been binding on airlines since 2 June 2023 (Order TMA/469/2023) — or take the matter to the Spanish courts of first instance.
Enclosed: boarding pass, booking confirmation and the denied boarding form given to me by the airline.
Yours faithfully,
[SIGNATURE] · [YOUR NAME]
6Template: second letter if they reject it or go silent
[YOUR FULL NAME] · [YOUR ADDRESS], [CITY, POSTCODE] · [YOUR EMAIL] · [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[AIRLINE NAME] — Customer Service / Complaints Department
[CITY], [DATE]
Subject: Second claim — flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [FLIGHT DATE] — reference [YOUR CLAIM REFERENCE, IF ANY]
Dear Sir or Madam,
On [DATE OF FIRST LETTER] I sent you a claim for the [delay / cancellation / denied boarding] of flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [FLIGHT DATE], asking for €[AMOUNT] under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 261/2004.
[More than a month has passed with no reply / Your reply dated [DATE OF THEIR REPLY] rejected the claim, citing [REASON GIVEN BY THE AIRLINE], which does not amount to an extraordinary circumstance under Article 5(3) and CJEU case law].
I am maintaining my claim for €[AMOUNT], [plus €[EXPENSES AMOUNT] in expenses under Article 9, where applicable]. I am giving you a final deadline of [DEADLINE YOU CHOOSE] to pay it by bank transfer to account [IBAN/ACCOUNT NUMBER].
If payment is not made by then, I will file this claim with the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), whose decision is binding on you as of 2 June 2023 (Order TMA/469/2023): if you do not comply within one month of it, I will be able to enforce it through the Spanish courts of first instance. Alternatively, I may go straight to court.
Enclosed again: the documents sent with my first claim, together with [a copy of your reply / proof of delivery of my earlier letter].
Yours faithfully,
[SIGNATURE] · [YOUR NAME]
AESA: free, and now binding
You must file it within one year of your claim to the airline; it resolves cases in 90 to 180 days. Since 2 June 2023 (Order TMA/469/2023), its decision is binding on the airline: if it does not pay within a month, you can enforce it through the Spanish courts of first instance. It is not binding on you — you keep the right to go to court instead. AESA does not handle lost or damaged baggage claims, which are governed by the Montreal Convention.
7How and when to send the letter
- 1
Send it in writing
Use the airline’s claims form or email, not the phone: you need a record of what you asked for and when.
- 2
Keep proof you sent it
A screenshot of the submitted form, the email with its date and time, or the signed receipt if you post it by recorded delivery.
- 3
Note the date — it is what counts
The day you send the claim is what starts the deadline you set in the letter, and the point you count from when deciding when to escalate.
There is no legal deadline for them to reply
The law sets no deadline for the airline to reply to your letter. The payment deadline in your letter is one you choose; if there is no reply, or the reply is unsatisfactory, the next step is AESA or the courts.
Frequently asked questions
Should I email it or send it by recorded delivery?
Email leaves a record of the date and time you sent it, and it is what most airlines use anyway. Recorded delivery with a signed receipt carries more weight if the case reaches court. Usually the best approach is to use email or the airline’s own form and keep proof you sent it.
Does this letter work for claiming against any airline?
Yes. Regulation (EC) 261/2004 applies to any flight departing an EU, EEA or Swiss airport on any airline, and to flights arriving in the EU operated by an EU carrier. Vueling, Iberia, Iberia Express, Air Nostrum and Air Europa are Spanish carriers; Ryanair is Irish; easyJet flies under UK, Austrian and Swiss air operator certificates; TAP is Portuguese. The letter works the same way with all of them.
Do I have to write it in Spanish?
No. If you are claiming against a Spanish carrier (Iberia, Vueling, Air Europa), Spanish works fine. If you are claiming against a foreign airline, it is more practical to send it in English — use the English template in this article.
How long does the airline have to reply?
There is no fixed legal deadline for it to reply. It’s reasonable to set your own deadline in the letter — a month, for example — and, if there is no reply or it is rejected without a proven extraordinary circumstance, escalate to AESA or the Spanish courts of first instance.
What if they reject my claim or do not reply?
Use the second letter in this article, giving a final deadline. If it is still unresolved, file with AESA (free, within one year of your first letter): its decision has been binding on the airline since 2 June 2023. You can also go straight to the Spanish courts of first instance — no lawyer needed for claims up to €2,000. AviFly can handle the whole process for you: we only charge if you get paid, 15% + VAT out of court and 30% + VAT if it goes to court.