Traveling with connecting flights is very common, especially for longer international routes. However, when one flight is delayed or cancelled, it can cause you to miss your connection and disrupt your plans. A missed connecting flight costs you time, money, and stress, but you have the opportunity to claim compensation of up to €600.
What is a Connecting Flight
A connecting (or transfer) flight is a segment of a journey that involves changing aircraft at an intermediate airport before reaching your final destination.
Compensation Conditions
To receive compensation for a missed connection, the following conditions must be met:
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| ❗ Delay or cancellation | You missed the connection due to a delay, cancellation, or denied boarding on a preceding segment. |
| 🕒 Arrival delay over 3 hours | You reached your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours. |
| 📆 Short notification window | In case of cancellation, the airline notified you less than 14 days in advance. |
| 🧾 Single booking | All flights are part of the same reservation (under a single booking code/PNR). |
| ✈️ EU Jurisdiction | The flight departed from the EU, or landed in the EU operated by an EU-registered airline. |
| ⚠️ Airline fault | The reason for the missed connection was not outside the airline's control (e.g. not due to extreme weather). |
Even if the airline provided an alternative flight, you may still be entitled to compensation!
Did you miss a connecting flight?
We are here to help you secure fair compensation for the inconvenience caused.
Compensation Amount
The compensation amount depends on the distance of your entire journey.
| Travel Distance | Compensation Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| From 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
The airline can reduce the compensation by 50% if they offer an alternative flight and the delay is:
- Less than 2 hours for flights of up to 1,500 km.
- Less than 3 hours for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km (or within EU over 1,500 km).
- Less than 4 hours for flights over 3,500 km.
Is it a Single Reservation?
Check the booking reference (PNR code). If you have the same PNR code for all flight segments, they are part of a single reservation.
When Compensation is Not Owed
- The delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances – such as extreme weather that could not be anticipated or a sudden airport strike.
- The flights were booked separately, even if they were with the same airline.
- You did not arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours, despite the missed connection.
Other Passenger Rights
In addition to financial compensation, you have a right to additional care from the airline if the departure delay is significant:
- Food and drinks: In reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Communication: Free phone calls, faxes, or emails.
- Accommodation and transport: If an overnight stay is necessary, the airline must provide hotel accommodation and transport to/from the airport.
For cancellations or delays of over 5 hours, the airline must offer a choice between:
- Full refund of the ticket price for unused parts of the journey, plus a return flight to the initial departure point (if applicable).
- Rerouting to your final destination at the earliest opportunity.
- Rerouting to your final destination at a later date of your convenience, subject to seat availability.
How to Claim Compensation
You can submit your claim now. It takes only a few minutes and can bring you the compensation you deserve.
Check Your Compensation
The process is entirely online, fast, and involves no upfront fees.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A connecting flight (or transfer flight) is part of a journey that involves changing planes at an intermediate airport before reaching your final destination. Under Regulation (EC) 261/2004, to be eligible for compensation for a missed connection, all segments must be booked under a single booking code (PNR).
Yes, Regulation 261/2004 applies if your journey started in an EU country. It also applies if it landed in the EU and was operated by an EU airline. For example, if you travel Sofia - London - New York on a single ticket, and miss the connection in London due to a delay from Sofia, you are eligible because the departure airport was in the EU.
Extraordinary circumstances are events that cannot be avoided even if all reasonable measures are taken. Examples include: extreme weather (storms, dense fog), air traffic control or airport staff strikes, political instability, security threats, or unexpected safety measures. In these cases, the airline is not required to pay compensation.
Yes, if you arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours, even after the airline rerouted you, you are still entitled to compensation. Depending on the distance and arrival time of the alternative flight, the compensation amount may be reduced by 50%.
In Bulgaria, the statute of limitations for filing claims under Regulation 261/2004 is 5 years from the flight date. However, we recommend submitting your claim as soon as possible after the event while documents and memories are fresh.
If you file directly with the airline, there is no fee. If you choose to use a specialized flight compensation company, they usually work on a 'no win, no fee' basis, meaning they will deduct a percentage of the recovered compensation only if they succeed.