Get compensated for a delayed flight

This post is for those of you who fly internationally (in particular, within, from, and outside/to the European Union).
 
Did you know that the European Union law dictates certain standards of airline service, and if you experience a delayed flight, you can be compensated through AirHelp?

I did not know anything about the European Union (EU) laws, and until recently, I had never heard about AirHelp. 

However, two months ago, I was contacted by AirHelp about a delayed flight I experienced this past summer. The flight in question was from a smaller European country through another, bigger European airport, and with the final destination of JFK, U.S.

In an email, AirHelp explained the relevant EU law and informed me that I can be compensated if I file a complaint through them. The company would keep 1/3 of the compensation, and I would receive 2/3 of the sum.

After I researched AirHelp online, I agreed to the offer. Why? If the airline company that was guilty of the delayed flight had been nice to its customers (including me and my child, who traveled with me), I would not have filed a claim. However, instead of easing the seven additional hours spent at the airport due to a defective airplane, the airline subjected its customers to humiliating, unpleasant and even abusive experiences. 

I do not want to enlist all of the offenses, but I would mention that after a few hours standing in front of a help desk, a few passengers complained about their kids being hungry and thirsty.  One of the airline employees brought a plastic tub with a few sandwiches and water bottles. Silently threw this on the floor next to us, the passengers, and as soon as the children collected a few items, the same lady came and retrieved the tub still full with food and water. I did not have time to grab even a water bottle.

At the end of the nine hours we spent at that airport, my child was crying and had a terrible headache. I was numb and tried to avoid thinking about the fact that we had another 18 hours of travel ahead, and there was a possibility that we would lose our New York hotel reservation.

So, I filed a claim with AirHelp, because of the anguish the airline company caused us. For a comparison, let me tell you how another company dealt with the passengers after a delayed flight. Three years ago, we were flying with KLM and had a six-hour delay on JFK, U.S.  Once on board of the plane, JFK airport closed down due to a severe thunderstorm for another hour. So, the delay was huge... We arrived in Amsterdam late and missed our next flight.  

It was unpleasant, and it was chaotic and difficult to find the help desk dedicated to stranded passengers like us. However, once we got to interact with the company employees, all we received was comfort, not abuse. We received our newly issued flight tickets, coupons for phone usage, coupons for the food court at the airport, and vouchers for approximately 50 euro for each of us to apply as a compensation to any future flight.

Within two months of filing a claim with AirHelp, I received the compensation for me and my child. The check was promptly deposited in my bank account. Thank you, AirHelp!