How to Claim a Refund and Compensation from United Airlines
Useful information about compensation and refund for your United Airlines ticket. Claim your indemnity with Rimborsoalvolo.it!
The History of United Airlines
United Airlines is headquartered in the United States and is the largest U.S. airline as well as the fourth largest worldwide by number of passengers carried. It ranks third globally in fleet size and serves over 60 countries around the world.
Some United Airlines numbers:
- 3,700: number of daily flights;
- 78: destinations within the United States;
- 108: destinations worldwide.
Given these numbers, it’s no surprise that United Airlines also causes significant inconveniences to passengers, such as delays, cancellations, overbooking, lost luggage, or delayed baggage delivery.
Some curious incidents involving United Airlines flights
In 2017, United Airlines denied boarding to two young women because they were wearing leggings. Here’s the strange story behind this surreal event: the two women had purchased their tickets using a benefit available to relatives of company employees, and according to United Airlines, their attire was deemed inappropriate and not in line with the company’s dress code.
Are you familiar with Dave Carroll’s song United Breaks Guitars? The Canadian musician’s song is an (unwelcome) “tribute” to the airline after his guitar was damaged during a flight and United Airlines refused to compensate him.
United Airlines and animals
March 2018 is remembered as a month of incidents involving animals, with two notable cases involving United Airlines occurring within just one week.
The first involved the death of Kokito, a puppy traveling from Houston to New York: a flight attendant forced the dog’s owner to place it in the overhead bin for the entire duration of the flight. Upon landing, the dog was no longer breathing. United Airlines admitted full responsibility for what happened, but unfortunately, this did not resolve the incident.
It was a tough time for the airline: one week after the puppy’s death in the overhead bin, another unfortunate event involved a dog that, luckily, was able to return home.
A German Shepherd traveling with its family on a United Airlines flight was checked into the cargo hold, but upon arrival, the owners were handed a puppy instead of their German Shepherd. During a layover, the poor dog was mistakenly sent on a flight to… Japan! Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly — the dog was located and returned home within 48 hours, but it risked being quarantined in Japan for two weeks.
Be careful not to confuse a refund with compensation!
Let’s look at the differences:
- REFUND is provided in case of flight cancellation only when the airline does not rebook you on an alternative flight. So, you are entitled to a refund if you do not physically board the plane, whether due to cancellation or overbooking. Additionally, you have the right to a REFUND for any extra expenses you incurred as a result of the flight cancellation, such as food, hotel accommodation. You are also entitled to a REFUND in case of extraordinary circumstances, meaning those situations where the airline is not held responsible for the inconvenience caused, such as adverse weather conditions, strikes, or health emergencies;
- COMPENSATION (or indemnity or financial reimbursement) has nothing to do with the ticket price, but is a sum of money owed to you for the inconvenience suffered due to flight cancellation, delay, or overbooking as established by the Montreal Convention of 2001. Regarding COMPENSATION, you are NOT entitled to it in case of extraordinary circumstances or if you were notified of the cancellation at least 14 days in advance. This is compensation for the airline’s inefficiency and is completely independent of the ticket price.
It often happens that passengers only claim a REFUND because they are unaware that they are also entitled to COMPENSATION, or because they are told that the causes of cancellation or delay were due to force majeure.
At Rimborsoalvolo.it, we thoroughly check what the airline has declared regarding any extraordinary circumstances to determine if you are indeed entitled to financial compensation!
You can find more information about the reasons for airline refunds and compensation
How to claim compensation from United Airlines in case of cancellation, delay over 3 hours, or overbooking?
If your flight has been cancelled, delayed by at least 180 minutes, or you were denied boarding due to overbooking, you are entitled to compensation that varies depending on the distance between the departure and arrival airports, specifically:
- €250 for all flights up to 1,500 km;
- €400 for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km;
- €600 for flights over 3,500 km.
We will now look in detail at the various cases that may occur and explain how to proceed if:
- United Airlines has cancelled your flight;
- United Airlines caused you to arrive at your destination 3 hours or more late;
- United Airlines denied you boarding due to overbooking.
What does the Passenger Rights Charter say about flight cancellations by United Airlines?
Following the cancellation of your United Airlines flight, the airline is required to pay you monetary compensation. This is established by the Passenger Rights Charter, a practical guide summarized by the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) with useful information for air travelers.
As mentioned, the amount of compensation varies depending on the distance between the departure and arrival airports, specifically:
- €250 for all flights up to 1,500 km;
- €400 for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km;
- €600 for flights over 3,500 km.
This compensation is due if United Airlines did not notify you at least 14 days in advance or did not offer you an alternative flight within 7 days of the scheduled departure.
As established by European Regulation No. 261/2004, United Airlines is not liable if the cancellation is due to strikes by air traffic controllers, adverse weather conditions, health emergencies, political instability, or security risks on the ground and/or in flight. In these cases, United Airlines does not provide compensation to passengers who experienced the inconvenience.
How to get a refund from United Airlines
Rimborsoalvolo.it offers a service dedicated to helping customers obtain monetary compensation from United Airlines depending on the air travel disruption experienced.
By entrusting your United Airlines refund claim to the Rimborso al Volo team, you will likely get faster results than submitting a claim independently. If an amicable agreement with United Airlines cannot be reached and legal action becomes necessary, we will work with legal experts who collaborate with us and pursue your rights until they are fully enforced.
Rimborso al Volo will manage your compensation claim. Learn how to request your refund.
You can find more information on this page to claim your refund and compensation for your flight.
FAQ United Airlines Flight Disruptions
What to do if United Airlines canceled the flight?
- Right to Ticket Refund: You can cancel your reservation and request a full refund of your airline ticket
- Right to re-routing on another flight: United Airlines must offer you an alternative, booking the first available flight to your final destination. You can choose to decline the re-routing and instead request a refund of your ticket
- Right to additional assistance and reimbursement of extra expenses: If you have to wait a long time for your next flight, you are entitled to meals and drinks, free phone calls, and if necessary, hotel accommodations and transportation to and from the airport. In addition, you can request reimbursement for extra expenses incurred while waiting if they are not directly covered by the company.
- Right to compensation: If the cancellation is not due to exceptional circumstances, and you were not notified of the cancellation in time, you may be entitled to compensation ranging from 250 to 600 euros, depending on the distance of the flight.
What to do if the United Airlines flight is delayed?
- Ticket Refund: You can decide not to continue your trip and request a full refund of your ticket.
- Alternate Flight: If you prefer to continue your journey, United Airlines must offer you an alternative flight to your final destination as soon as possible.
- Assistance and extra expense reimbursement: You are entitled to free meals, drinks, communications, and if necessary, lodging and transportation between the airport and the hotel. You can also request reimbursement for extra expenses incurred while waiting. You must submit receipts, so always keep your receipts!
- Compensation, as for delay of more than three hours: €250 for routes ≤1500 km, €400 for routes between 1500-3500 km, €600 for routes >3500 km.
Exceptional circumstances: what to do if United Airlines flight is cancelled or delayed?
- Basic care and extra expense reimbursement: You are entitled to free meals, drinks, and communications. If the delay continues, you are entitled to hotel accommodations and transportation. You can also request reimbursement for extra expenses incurred while waiting.
- Ticket Refund or Alternate Flight: Even under these circumstances, you can request a refund of your ticket or accept an alternate flight offered by the company.
- No Compensation: In case of exceptional circumstances, you will NOT be entitled to monetary compensation.
What to do if United Airlines denies boarding for overbooked flight?
- Ticket Reprotection or Refund.: You should be offered, as soon as possible, an alternate flight to your final destination or the option to forfeit your flight and get a full refund of your ticket.
- Assistance and extra expense reimbursement: United Airlines must provide you with meals and drinks, access to communications, and, if necessary, hotel accommodations and transportation. You can also request reimbursement for extra expenses incurred while waiting.
- Compensation: You are entitled to monetary compensation that varies according to the length of the flight (€250 for routes ≤1500 km, €400 for routes between 1500-3500 km, €600 for routes >3500 km).
What to do if United Airlines misplaces baggage?
- Urgent Expense Reimbursement: If your luggage is not found quickly, United Airlines will reimburse you for necessary urgent expenses (such as clothes and toiletries).
- Compensation for ultimate loss: If your luggage is not found, you will be entitled to compensation of up to approximately 1,164 euros (1,000 SDRs - Special Drawing Rights).
What to do if United Airlines delivers baggage late?
- Reimbursement of urgent and documented such as clothes and personal hygiene items purchased as replacements for those in the suitcase.
- Compensation for loss: For each day of delay in baggage delivery, you will be entitled to compensation. The maximum amount is approximately 1,164 euros (1,000 SDRs - Special Drawing Rights).
Airport disruption? Claim compensation of up to 600€
Claim compensation for delays, cancellations, or overbooking that occurred within the last 2 years.
