EU 261
If you are here it is because you want to know how I ended up landing us free flights to the Faroe Islands. I will let you in on a little secret, EU261. I know this means nothing to you now but hopefully it soon will. This little trick up my sleeve is something that applies to most flights going to or leaving Europe. It is a law making it mandatory for compensation to be paid to passengers who have had flights delayed or canceled in preventable ways by an airline. Now to this point I have never had the joy of having a European flight delayed or canceled so I have never attempted to use this. I first attempted to use the airlines direct website but was met with a roadblock. I needed an IBAN number, otherwise known as a European account number, meaning if I didn’t have one I couldn’t fill out the form.
Well since this didn’t work I did some more research where I found a website called AirHelp. They are a team that for a “small” fee (half of the compensation) will help you get what you are owed. After filing with them and waiting around a week, we received a lovely letter saying we did not qualify for compensation. Here is where you have to get creative. I know that my flight was canceled, I was delayed at least 4 hours, and my journey met the minimum distance requirements, this means I should be compensated the minimum amount of $500 by law. To this point it felt as if all hope was lost and this was too good to be true but I had one last hail mary play. I gathered every email I could find for Atlantic Airways and emailed them the issues I had been having, along with documentation and the attached EU261 form and requested my compensation. And to no surprise they did not respond, that is until a week later when they emailed saying they agreed and just needed my account information to wire me my compensation.
This sure felt as if I was about to help 5 Nigerian princes but my bank assured me it was okay to provide. After I responded and another week went by I was sure thinking I had been scammed. Thankfully though one bright morning I woke up and discovered I had been wired the $500 dollars I was due in compensation. The best part about it was this was $100 dollars more than our tickets even cost. Thank you EU261! If you are ever on a flight or even if you have had a flight in the last year that is going to or coming from Europe that has been delayed or canceled because the airline was a hot mess make sure to look up the basic requirements for compensation and file. The worst they will say is no and at best you make some money that ultimately is the only way we stayed on budget for the Faroe Islands. If you have been in a similar situation and wonder if you are owed compensation read the requirements here: Flight Compensation Guide Link and go get the free paycheck you deserve.
