Flight Delay Compensation Evidence Checklist
A strong EU261 or UK261 claim is not just a complaint. It is a small evidence file: route, final-arrival delay, airline reason, expenses, and a clear record of every reply.
Quick answer
Keep the booking, boarding pass, actual final-arrival time, airline messages, screenshots, and receipts. If the airline rejects the claim, keep the rejection and ask for the exact operational evidence behind its reason.
The checker helps identify route coverage, delay threshold, amount band, and likely proof gaps.
The Core Evidence File
Flight and booking proof
- Booking confirmation and ticket number
- Boarding pass or mobile wallet pass
- Operating airline and flight number
- Passenger names exactly as booked
Delay timing proof
- Scheduled and actual departure time
- Actual arrival time at the final destination
- Screenshots from the airline app or airport board
- Connection rebooking or missed-connection records
Airline reason proof
- Delay or cancellation email
- Gate announcement notes or photos
- Chat transcripts with the airline
- Any rejection letter naming weather, ATC, technical fault, crew, or extraordinary circumstances
Care and expense proof
- Meal, hotel, transport, and phone receipts
- Voucher offers and what they covered
- Proof the airline could not provide care
- Replacement travel receipts if rerouting was not offered quickly
Evidence By Claim Type
| Claim type | Extra proof to add |
|---|---|
| Delay | Final-arrival time, not only departure delay. Use screenshots or written confirmation. |
| Cancellation | Cancellation notice time, replacement flight timing, refund or rerouting choices. |
| Missed connection | Single booking proof, first-flight delay, final-destination arrival time, rebooking record. |
| Denied boarding | Check-in proof, written denial reason, volunteer request, alternative flight timing. |
| Rejection reply | Original claim, airline refusal, exact excuse, proof request, escalation deadline. |
How To Use The Checklist Before You Submit
Name every attachment
List the file names in your claim text so the airline can see the file is complete.
Use a short chronology
Write the timeline in five lines: booked route, scheduled times, disruption, actual arrival, airline reason.
Do not over-argue early
Submit the facts first. Save detailed legal argument for a rejection or escalation.
Keep a submission record
Screenshot the claim form, confirmation number, and upload screen before closing the browser.
Related Claim Guides
Build The Claim File First
Check eligibility and evidence gaps before you send the airline a weak claim.
Start your evidence checkSource note
This checklist uses EU Regulation 261/2004, European Commission passenger-rights guidance, UK CAA passenger-rights guidance, and repeated passenger-language patterns around missing proof, generic rejections, screenshots, receipts, and escalation files.
Disclaimer
This guide is provided for informational purposes only. FlightClaimGuide does not provide legal advice and recommends seeking independent professional advice for complex legal matters.