Claims companies exist because many passengers never claim, and many who do give up after the first refusal. They are not a scam and they are not a necessity. They are a paid service for something you are allowed to do yourself for free.
This page sets out the trade so you can decide with the numbers in front of you.
How they work
- You enter your flight details and sign an authorisation, or in some cases an assignment of the claim.
- The company checks the flight against its data and sends the claim to the airline.
- If the airline pays, the money goes to the company, which deducts its fee and transfers the rest to you.
- If the airline refuses, the company decides whether the case is worth taking to a lawyer or court. If it does and wins, an additional fee usually applies.
- If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing. That is the “no win, no fee” promise.
The law they rely on is the same one you would use: Regulation 261/2004 in the EU, its retained version in the UK. The compensation is fixed by Article 7, so a company cannot obtain more than you could. See EU261 and UK261.
What it costs
Each company sets its own percentage and publishes it in a price list. As an example, AirHelp’s price list (updated 11 August 2026) states a service fee of 35% of the compensation, VAT included, and a further 15% if legal action is needed, which brings the total to half of the payout.
Other companies publish other percentages. Check whether the percentage includes VAT. A worked example with AirHelp’s service fee:
| Compensation | Fee (35%, VAT included) | You receive |
|---|---|---|
| €250 | €87.50 | €162.50 |
| €400 | €140 | €260 |
| €600 | €210 | €390 |
Watch out
Use the figures in the company’s own price list, not this table, before you sign.
When a company is worth it
- The airline has refused in writing and you would not go further alone.
- The next step is a court in another country, in a language you do not speak.
- The airline disputes the facts, for example by claiming extraordinary circumstances, and evidence such as weather or air traffic data would help.
- You value your time more than the fee. That is a legitimate reason.
When it is not
- You have not yet asked the airline. A clear case is often paid on the first request, and a claim letter takes a few minutes.
- A free route is still open. Each is described in how to claim:
- UK: the airline’s ADR scheme after eight weeks.
- EU: the national enforcement body, and for cross-border cases the European Small Claims Procedure.
- Brazil: Anac Passageiro, consumidor.gov.br and the Juizado Especial Cível.
- The claim is for a ticket refund or for expenses with receipts. There is little to argue about, and a percentage fee on your own money is poor value.
- The case is weak. A company will usually reject it too, since it only earns when it wins.
What to check in the contract
Fees. Find the base percentage, the legal-action surcharge and any fixed administrative charge. Ask what the total is in the worst case.
VAT. Check whether the advertised percentage includes it.
Authorisation or assignment. An authorisation (power of attorney) lets the company act in your name. An assignment transfers the claim to the company. After an assignment you lose control over settlement.
Some airlines’ conditions try to prohibit assignment. The Court of Justice held that such a clause cannot block a claim under Regulation 261/2004 (CJEU, Eventmedia Soluciones, C-11/23), but the argument can still slow a case down.
Cancellation. Online consumer contracts in the EU carry a 14-day withdrawal right (Art. 9, Directive 2011/83/EU), and UK law has an equivalent. Look at what happens after that period and whether a fee is charged if you withdraw once work has started.
Who receives the money. Most contracts have the airline pay the company. Check how quickly the company must pass your share on.
What is covered. Some contracts cover only the fixed compensation. Others also take a share of refunds and expenses.
Other passengers. Each adult on the booking normally has to sign.
Do it yourself or use a company
| Do it yourself | Claims company | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free. Court fees only if you sue | A share of the payout, more with legal action |
| What you receive | 100% | The payout minus the fee (65% with AirHelp’s service fee, 50% with legal action) |
| Your time | A letter, then follow-up | A form and a signature |
| If the airline refuses | You escalate to NEB, ADR or court | The company decides whether to sue |
| Control over settlement | Yours | The company’s, especially after assignment |
| Risk if you lose | Court fees, if you went to court | None |
| Best for | Clear cases, refunds, expenses | Refused claims, foreign courts |
If you decide to use one
Two companies that take these claims online, with the fees each one states (both read on 8 October 2026):
| Company | Fee when it wins | If legal action is needed | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirHelp | 35% of the compensation, VAT included | Another 15% | Price list, updated 11 August 2026 |
| Compensair | 35% of the compensation | Another 10% | Payment policy, updated 1 June 2025 |
Both say they charge only when compensation is recovered. Before you sign, go through the contract points above with each company’s own terms.
One change ahead
Good to know
Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, which applies from 23 October 2027, will oblige airlines to tell passengers within 96 hours how to request compensation and to answer requests within 30 days (new Art. 7).
It also lets the airline ask a third party for evidence of a valid mandate to act.
Tip
Claiming directly should get easier, which is one more reason to try that first. Start with the calculator.