A rejection letter feels final. Legally, it usually isn't — here's how to check it and what to do next.
A rejected EU261 or UK261 claim isn't automatically the end of it. Airlines turn down a meaningful number of claims that are actually valid — often by citing "extraordinary circumstances" for something that doesn't legally qualify (a routine technical fault is the classic example), or by simply not responding properly to the details you sent. The right next step is to check the stated reason, reply with the specifics, and escalate to an enforcement body, ADR scheme, or court if the airline still won't budge.
If the airline rejected you verbally, by a vague email, or through a form response, ask for the specific reason in writing. You need to know exactly what they're claiming happened — "extraordinary circumstances" on its own isn't a reason, it's a legal conclusion. Push for the underlying fact: was it weather, a technical fault, a strike, crew scheduling, something else?
Once you know the stated cause, compare it against how that type of event is generally treated. As a rule of thumb:
If the reason given falls into the first two categories but was rejected anyway, you likely have grounds to push back.
Send a clear written response referencing the specific regulation (EU261 or UK261), restating the flight details, and explaining why the stated reason doesn't meet the legal bar for extraordinary circumstances. Keep a paper trail of every message — you'll need it if you escalate.
If the airline maintains its rejection, or simply stops responding, your options generally include:
This is one of the most common reasons people come to us: they claimed directly, got a boilerplate "extraordinary circumstances" refusal, and assumed that was the end of it. We review the stated reason, and if it doesn't hold up, we escalate on your behalf. Because escalation takes more work than a claim the airline simply pays after the first request, our commission on escalated cases is higher (40%, versus 30% for claims resolved directly) — but as always, you owe nothing if we don't succeed.
Not necessarily. Airlines reject a significant share of valid claims, often by citing "extraordinary circumstances" loosely or simply not engaging with the details. A rejection is the airline's opening position, not a final legal verdict.
It depends on the limitation period in the relevant country, which is commonly several years, so you usually have more time than you'd think. Don't assume a rejection you got a while ago is now too old to pursue.
Each EU/EEA country designates a body responsible for enforcing air passenger rights rules, and in the UK this role is played by the Civil Aviation Authority. You can escalate an unresolved or wrongly rejected claim to the relevant body.
Yes, small claims procedures exist in most jurisdictions for amounts in the EU261/UK261 compensation range, though the right court and procedure depends on where you and the airline are based and where the flight departed or landed.
Let us take a second look — reviewing rejected claims is one of the most common things we do.