WASHINGTON — Have you ever wished your airline would pay you when they mess up your flight? Maybe all you need is some help.
Several companies will file a claim for you if your flight is canceled or delayed, or if you get bumped.
The New York Times reports that AirHelp, AirRefund, RefundMe and FlightRight all boast success rates near 100 percent.
What you’re entitled to depends on the circumstances, but in the European Union, airline passengers must be compensated if their flights are canceled or delayed. In the United States, usually you get nothing unless you are involuntarily bumped. Most of the services take a cut of whatever they get back, ranging from 15 percent to 25 percent.
Henrik Zillmer, chief executive of AirHelp, estimates that less than 1 percent of travelers eligible for compensation collect it. Some travelers, he said, are not even aware they are owed it, while others cannot be bothered to apply.
