Flight Compensation for Business Travel — Reclaim Your Expenses
Business trip affected by delays? You can claim compensation even if your employer paid for the ticket. Here's how to recover costs and lost time.
Flight Compensation for Business Travel — Reclaim Your Expenses
Your flight home from the conference was delayed 5 hours. You missed your connecting train. Your employer paid for the ticket.
Can you still claim compensation?
Absolutely yes. In fact, you personally are entitled to compensation up to €600 — even though your company bought the ticket.
This guide covers everything business travellers need to know about flight compensation claims.
Personal Right, Company Ticket
Under EC 261/2004, compensation is owed to the passenger, not whoever paid for the ticket.
Your employer's travel department might handle the claim on your behalf, or you can claim directly. The right belongs to you.
Key point:
- Who paid: Your employer
- Who claims: You (the passenger)
- Who receives payment: You (unless you assign the right)
How Much Can You Claim?
Compensation amounts are identical to personal travel:
| Flight Distance | Compensation | |-----------------|--------------| | Under 1,500 km | €250 | | 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | | Over 3,500 km | €600 |
This is per passenger. If you travelled with colleagues, each person can claim separately.
What Counts for Business Travellers
Qualifying Flights
Any flight where you (the individual) experienced a delay of 3+ hours:
- Outbound business trips (EU departure)
- Return flights to the EU (on EU airlines)
- Multi-leg journeys with EU connection
Qualifying Disruptions
- Delays of 3+ hours at arrival
- Cancellations with less than 14 days notice
- Denied boarding (overbooking)
- Missed connections due to delay
Two Rights: Compensation AND Expense Reimbursement
Business travellers have dual protection:
1. EC 261 Compensation (Personal Right)
- Fixed amounts: €250-€600
- Unrelated to actual ticket cost or expenses
- Goes to the passenger
- Claim against airline
2. Expense Reimbursement (Employer Policy)
- Hotel costs from overnight delays
- Meals during extended waits
- Alternative transport
- Phone calls, internet
These are separate. You can receive EC 261 compensation AND expense reimbursement from your employer.
What About the Care and Assistance Rules?
While waiting, the airline must provide:
- Meals and refreshments after 2 hours
- Hotel accommodation if overnight
- Transport between airport and hotel
- Two free communications (calls/emails)
Keep receipts for anything you pay out of pocket — your employer may reimburse these, or you can claim from the airline later.
Company vs. Personal Claims
If Your Company Already Claimed
Some large firms have travel departments that handle claims. Check with your employer first.
Important: Compensation belongs to you. If your company claimed and pocketed the money without your agreement, that's problematic.
If You Need Proof of Delay
Your company's travel booking often has:
- Original booking confirmations
- Delay notifications
- Flight change emails
Request these from your travel coordinator.
Tax Implications
In most EU countries, flight compensation is not taxable income — it's compensation for service failure, not earnings.
However, check with a tax professional in your jurisdiction, especially if:
- Your employer included the compensation in your taxable benefits
- You received compensation for a trip you deducted as a business expense
When Business Travel Gets Complicated
Scenario: Meeting Missed
Your flight to Frankfurt for a €50,000 pitch meeting was cancelled. You lost the contract.
EC 261 compensation: Yes, up to €600 for the cancelled flight.
Lost contract damages: No, consequential losses aren't covered.
Scenario: Extended Business Trip
Your return was delayed overnight. You incurred extra hotel costs, missed a day of work, and your employer had to extend a rental car.
EC 261 compensation: Yes, €250-€600
Expense reimbursement: Possible from airline for reasonable accommodation/food costs
Lost salary: No, EC 261 doesn't cover lost earnings
Scenario: Conference Speaking Slot Missed
You were speaking at a conference. Delay meant you missed your slot and the speaking fee.
EC 261 compensation: Yes, for the flight
Lost speaking fee: No, consequential losses not covered
Corporate Travel Managers: What You Should Know
If you manage business travel:
Set a Clear Policy
- Who handles claims? Travel desk or individual travellers?
- Who receives compensation?
- How are claims tracked?
Use a Claims Service
Handling hundreds of claims manually is inefficient. Consider:
- Automated claim submission services
- Centralised tracking dashboards
- Bulk claim submission where possible
Track Your Numbers
- Annual qualifying delays
- Total compensation recovered
- Success rates by airline
- Time to resolution
Business Travel Portals and Compensation
Some companies use managed travel portals (Concur, Egencia, CWT). These typically:
- Track disruptions automatically
- Submit claims on travellers' behalf
- Distribute compensation according to company policy
Check your employee handbook or ask your travel coordinator.
Special Cases
Business Class Upgrades
Your ticket was economy, but you got upgraded to business due to overbooking. How does this affect compensation?
It doesn't. Compensation is based on flight distance, not ticket class. Same amounts apply.
Premium Tickets
If your employer paid €2,000 for a flexible business ticket, and the flight was cancelled:
EC 261 compensation: Still €250-€600 (based on distance, not ticket price)
Refund/rebooking: The airline must rebook you or refund the ticket
Expense difference: If you had to buy a more expensive last-minute ticket, you can claim the difference from the airline
Booking Through Travel Agents
Who claims when Tavistock Associates or CWT booked the ticket?
The passenger claims. Travel agents often help gather documentation, but the compensation right is personal.
The Bottom Line for Business Travellers
- You can claim even if your employer paid
- The money is yours unless you agree otherwise
- Check your company policy — they might handle it for you
- Keep documentation — you'll need proof of delay
- Claim within 3 years — statute of limitations varies by country
Ready to Claim?
Check your flight — we handle business travel claims just like any other. Enter your flight number and we'll verify eligibility against official data sources.
No win, no fee. Takes 30 seconds.
Or contact us if you need bulk processing for your company's travellers.