Air Europa compensation: when the airline owes you money
Air Europa is a Spanish airline owned by the Globalia group, headquartered in Llucmajor on Mallorca and running its network through Madrid-Barajas. We have handled more than 270 Air Europa claims so far, many from travellers connecting in Madrid between Europe and Latin America. If you reached your destination 3 hours late, had your flight cancelled at short notice or were bumped, you may be owed up to €600 per passenger.
Because Air Europa holds a Spanish operating licence, EU Regulation 261/2004 covers every flight it operates out of the EU and every flight it operates into the EU, including Miami–Madrid and Bogotá–Madrid.
Delay
You arrive at your final destination three hours or more behind schedule.
3+ hours on arrivalCancellation
Air Europa told you less than 14 days before departure and the replacement flight fell outside the legal time limits.
Late noticeBumped
You had a valid ticket and were at the gate on time, but the seat had been sold twice.
Payable straight awayNo compensation
Genuinely extraordinary events, such as a severe storm or an air traffic control strike, which Air Europa has to prove.
Extraordinary circumstancesEnter your route and date to see where you stand: check your Air Europa flight.
How much Air Europa pays: €250, €400 or €600
The figure depends on the straight-line distance to your final destination, not on the fare. Routes we regularly claim for:
| Distance | Air Europa routes | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | Porto–Madrid, Lisbon–Madrid, Barcelona–Palma de Mallorca | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | Madrid–Tenerife North | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | Madrid–Asunción, Miami–Madrid, Bogotá–Madrid | €600 |
Every passenger on the booking has a separate claim. Two adults and a teenager landing in Madrid from Bogotá four hours late could receive €1,800 between them, and a child with their own seat is entitled to the full adult amount.
Delayed Air Europa flight: what to do
Six in ten of our Air Europa cases are delays, often knock-on delays through Madrid. The clock stops when the aircraft door opens at your final destination. At the airport:
- Keep your boarding pass or a screenshot from the Air Europa app.
- Ask the Air Europa desk for the reason and note who told you and when.
- Photograph the arrivals board showing the real landing time.
- Hold on to receipts for meals, transport or a hotel if no help was offered.
- Turn down SUMA points or vouchers offered instead of cash until you know what you are owed.
Meals, drinks and hotels Air Europa must provide
Care is free of charge and does not reduce your compensation:
| Flight length | Care after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km (e.g. Lisbon–Madrid) | 2 hours |
| 1,500–3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km (e.g. Madrid–Asunción) | 4 hours |
| Delay longer than 5 hours | You can abandon the trip and get the fare back |
Missed connection in Madrid
On a single booking such as Porto–Madrid–Bogotá, what counts is the delay at the last airport and the total distance, so a missed connection can be worth €600. Separate tickets are assessed flight by flight. More in our page on Air Europa delay compensation.
Air Europa cancelled your flight: refund and compensation
Taking the refund or the new flight Air Europa offers does not cancel your right to compensation.
Always available after a cancellation: your money back or another flight.
On top, if you were told less than 14 days ahead and the cause was not extraordinary.
| Notice given | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more | No, refund or rerouting only |
| 7 to 13 days | Yes, unless the new flight leaves no more than 2 hours earlier and lands less than 4 hours late |
| Under 7 days | Yes, unless the new flight leaves no more than 1 hour earlier and lands less than 2 hours late |
Retimed flights. A big schedule change announced shortly before departure can count as a cancellation. See our guide to Air Europa cancellation compensation or have us check your flight.
Air Europa overbooking
About one in five Air Europa claims we receive is for denied boarding, a high share that we mostly see on busy long-haul departures and Madrid connections. If you were refused boarding against your will, compensation is due at once alongside rerouting or a refund. It does not apply if you reached the gate late or lacked the travel documents your destination requires. Read more about Air Europa overbooking.
Air Europa strikes
Air Europa pilots have called strikes in recent years. When the airline's own staff walk out, the EU Court of Justice treats it as part of normal operations, so compensation is usually payable (case C-28/20). A strike by Spanish air traffic controllers or airport workers is different: no compensation, though Air Europa must still look after you and offer a refund or a new flight.
Air Europa rejected your claim? Common reasons
These are the explanations we see most often in Air Europa replies:
Faults found during maintenance or checks are part of running an airline.
EU Court of Justice, case C-549/07Air Europa must show what extraordinary event started the chain of delays.
Air Europa crew or pilots: payable. Air traffic controllers: not payable.
EU Court of Justice, case C-28/20Valid only if they actually hit your flight, so we check airport data for that hour.
Air Europa Express, SkyTeam codeshares and flights from the UK
Some UX flights are operated by Air Europa Express, the group's regional subsidiary, with exactly the same rights. On a codeshare with another SkyTeam airline, the claim goes to the carrier that actually flew the aircraft, and we work that out for you.
Because Air Europa is an EU airline, any Air Europa flight from the UK to Spain falls under EU261 as well as the UK's own rules; we apply whichever works out better for you.
How to claim from Air Europa: on your own or with us
Air Europa has an online complaints form. You can use it yourself or hand the whole process to us.
Free, but you deal with the correspondence and, after a refusal, the national enforcement body of the country where the flight departed (the CAA for UK departures) or the courts.
Sign online and we handle the rest, court action included. Our fee is 25% + VAT, only if you get paid. Legal costs are ours, even if the case is lost.
If Air Europa has already turned you down
Send us the airline's reply with your booking. If the reason given does not stand up, we restart the claim with a formal demand.
What you need
- Booking referenceFrom the Air Europa confirmation email.
- Passport or IDFor each traveller, children included.
- Messages and receiptsDelay or cancellation notices and any expenses.
Time limit for Air Europa claims
EU261 sets no deadline of its own; the limit comes from national law where the claim is brought, as the EU Court of Justice confirmed in case C-139/11. Older flights are often still claimable: enter the date and we will tell you.
How long Air Europa takes to pay
If Air Europa accepts, payment usually follows within a few weeks. Where a formal demand or court case is needed, allow a few months. We email you at each step and transfer your share as soon as the money arrives.
Lost or damaged luggage on Air Europa
Baggage is governed by the Montreal Convention. Fill in a PIR at the baggage desk before leaving the airport, then write to Air Europa within 7 days for damage or within 21 days of delivery for a delayed bag.
Air Europa contacts and flight status
- Head office
- Air Europa Líneas Aéreas, Llucmajor, Mallorca, Spain
- Complaints
- Online complaints form in the help section of aireuropa.com
- Flight status
- Air Europa app or official website
- Loyalty programme
- SUMA
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