What documents are required for an aviation compensation claim
A few pieces of information are often enough for the first check, but a strong evidence trail later decides how quickly and seriously the case can be pursued.
Main guide for this topic
Air passenger rights
This article is a detailed subtopic. Start with the main guide if you want the full picture on eligibility, amounts, exceptions and next steps.
You don't need to have everything for the first check
Passengers often give up because they don't have a boarding pass or aren't sure where their booking confirmation is. For initial intakes, this is usually not a reason to dismiss the case immediately.
For the first check, the flight number, date, route, type of problem and a basic description of what happened are usually sufficient. That data makes it possible to see if the case even resembles a delay, cancellation, missed connection or denied boarding that is worth investigating further.
If the case makes sense, the documents become more important in the next step. It is then confirmed that you actually had a reservation, that you traveled or attempted to travel, and that the disruption had the consequences you state.
The most valuable documents
The most useful are the booking confirmation, e-ticket, boarding pass, check-in confirmation and all the messages you received from the airline or agency. Together, these documents show who traveled, by which route, on what date and under what conditions.
If you received an alternative flight, a new ticket is especially important. Delays and missed connections often compare the planned arrival from the original booking with the actual arrival after rerouting.
If more than one person is traveling on the same reservation, save the documents for each passenger. The right to a fixed fee is usually considered per passenger, so it is not enough to have only one proof if the claim covers an entire family or group.
- booking reference or booking confirmation
- e-ticket and boarding pass
- check-in confirmation
- a new ticket if you are redirected
- email, SMS or app messages from the airline
Airport photos can fill in the gaps
A photo of the departure board, gate notice or message in the app can be useful if you later need to prove what happened at the airport. It's not always as formal proof as airline confirmation, but it helps to reconstruct the chronology.
If the staff gives the reason for the delay or cancellation only verbally, write down the exact wording, time and place. If you can, take a photo of the screen or notification confirming the same reason.
In case of overbooking or denied boarding, it is especially useful to have proof that you were at the gate on time: check-in confirmation, photo of the gate, a message from the airline or a written confirmation from the staff.
Accounts are a separate category
Bills for meals, drinks, hotel, transfer or new ticket are not the same as fixed compensation. They can be the basis for reimbursement if the airline did not provide the care it should have provided.
It is important that the costs are reasonable and related to the disorder. A luxury hotel or an unnecessarily expensive ticket can be more difficult to charge, while a basic meal, overnight stay and transfer usually have a clearer logic.
If you pay for something yourself because there is no help at the airport, keep the fiscal receipt, the payment receipt and a short note of why the expense was incurred.
What if you don't have a boarding pass
Lack of boarding pass does not automatically mean the end. A booking confirmation, airline email, ticket receipt, travel history or check-in confirmation can help.
In the case of a canceled flight, the passenger often does not even receive a boarding pass, because boarding did not take place. With online check-in, the document can remain in the application or email. It's worth checking your inbox, app, phone wallet and airline account.
If none of these exist, the case can still be preliminarily verified. Just keep in mind that a later step may ask for additional confirmation of identity, reservation or payment.
Create one folder just in case
It is most practical to put all the evidence in one folder: ticket, boarding pass, messages, photos, receipts and a short timeline. This reduces the risk of losing an important detail later.
A good evidence package does not have to be perfect. It is enough to clearly show the flight, date, passenger, disruption, actual arrival and costs you are looking for. Anything beyond that just makes manual checking easier.
Sometimes identity confirmation is also requested
Some services and airlines ask for additional proof of identity, especially when the request is sent through an agent or when the payment is made to a bank account. It can be a copy of a document, a power of attorney or a signed statement.
Do not send sensitive documents randomly through unverified channels. If a document is requested, check who is requesting it, why it is needed, and whether it is possible to black out data that is not relevant.
For families and groups, please check separately whether a separate signature or document is required for each passenger. Many processes get stuck not because there is no basis, but because one passenger in the group does not have the complete evidence package.