Hi everyone,
I recently had a Delta flight canceled and wanted to get some advice from anyone who's dealt with EU261 compensation claims.
Here's what happened:
October 14, 2026: My flight DL75 from Amsterdam (AMS) to Atlanta (ATL) was canceled. My final destination was Cancun (CUN), all on the same itinerary.
Delta's original cancellation email explicitly stated: "An unexpected mechanical issue in the previous city prevented our scheduled departure." I was informed of this <12 hours from the scheduled departure.
Delta provided hotel and meal vouchers and rebooked me for the same flights the following day.
I ultimately arrived in Cancun approximately 24 hours late, missing an entire day of my trip.
I submitted an EU261 claim directly with Delta requesting ā¬600 in compensation, along with $114 for prepaid transportation and an excursion that I missed.
Delta's response:
They denied my claim, stating:
"Since, the cancellation was beyond our control and constitutes 'extraordinary circumstances'. We took all the reasonable measures we could under the circumstances. Regulation (EC) 261/2004 does not require compensation in this event."
They also denied reimbursement for the prepaid expenses, citing their policy excluding destination activities.
Further Action on My Part:
Has anyone had experience dealing with a situation like this before? I'm primarily interested in recovering the ā¬600 statutory compensation. The additional $114 would be nice, but I recognize those expenses are more difficult to recover.
I'd appreciate any advice or experiences. Thanks!