What Happens After You Submit a Flight Claim?

What happens after flight claim submission with TravelStacks follows four defined stages. Stage 1 is intake and eligibility review: we confirm your flight meets the threshold for the applicable regulation. Stage 2 is claim filing: we submit through official channels (DOT consumer complaint system, direct EU261 demand letter, or direct Montreal Convention Article 19 letter to the airline). Stage 3 is follow-up and negotiation: we track the airline's response, respond to requests for more information, and negotiate settlement. Stage 4 is escalation: if the airline refuses, we file with the relevant enforcement body (DOT, UK CAA, EU national body). Most claims resolve at Stage 2 or Stage 3. A minority require Stage 4. This post walks through each stage in detail. For context on applicable rights, see the pillar guide on how to write an airline complaint letter and the US DOT rights overview.

Most claims resolve at Stage 2 or Stage 3. Escalation to Stage 4 is the minority, not the default.

Within 1 business day of your submission, TravelStacks reviews your claim for eligibility. The review covers: (1) Does your flight route qualify under the applicable regulation? (International route for Montreal Convention, EU-departing for EU261, US carrier or US-departing for DOT, UK-departing for UK261.) (2) Does the delay or cancellation meet the threshold? (3+ hours domestic, 6+ hours international for DOT; 3+ hours for EU261 and UK261 regardless of distance for cancellations.) (3) Are the documents complete? (Booking confirmation, flight details, disruption evidence.) (4) Is the claim within the limitation period? (2 years for Montreal Convention; 3 years for EU261 in most EU countries; 6 years in the UK for UK261.) If any element is missing, we contact you immediately to request it. If the claim is not eligible, we tell you clearly and explain the reason, with no charge. If the claim is eligible, we confirm the filing and proceed.

If your claim is not eligible, TravelStacks tells you clearly with no charge. We do not take ineligible cases and charge you the $19 fee.

Filing happens within 1 to 2 business days of eligibility confirmation. The filing method depends on the regulation and airline. For US DOT claims: TravelStacks files through the DOT Air Consumer Protection Division's complaint system at transportation.gov/airconsumer, citing the 2024 DOT refund rule (14 CFR Part 259) and the specific threshold the delay or cancellation met. For EU261 claims: TravelStacks sends a formal demand letter directly to the airline's EU261 claim department, citing Regulation (EC) 261/2004, the specific article (Article 7 for compensation, Article 9 for duty of care), and the flight details. For UK261 claims: the same process as EU261, citing UK Regulation (EC) 261/2004 as retained in UK law. For Montreal Convention Article 19 claims: a formal demand letter to the airline's customer relations or legal department, citing Article 19 of the Montreal Convention, with an itemized schedule of documented losses. You receive an email confirmation when the claim is filed, with a reference number for tracking.

After filing, TravelStacks monitors the airline's response. Airlines typically acknowledge receipt within 5 to 14 days. Acknowledgement does not mean payment; it means the claim is in their queue. TravelStacks follows up if no acknowledgement is received within 14 days. When the airline responds with a settlement offer, TravelStacks evaluates it against the applicable regulation. For EU261 claims, the compensation is fixed (EUR 250, 400, or 600) and non-negotiable under the regulation; any offer below the fixed amount is rejected with a specific legal citation. For US DOT refund claims, the amount should be the full ticket price plus taxes and ancillary fees; partial refund offers are rejected. For Montreal Convention Article 19 claims, the offer is compared to your documented losses; partial offers are countered with itemized justification. If the airline invokes an extraordinary circumstances defense, TravelStacks reviews the flight data and responds factually. This negotiation stage typically adds 2 to 4 weeks. See how to get a refund from an airline for what airlines typically argue and how to respond.

EU261 compensation amounts are fixed by regulation. Any airline offer below EUR 250, 400, or 600 (as applicable) is legally non-compliant and TravelStacks rejects it automatically.

If the airline refuses the claim, ignores it, or makes an insufficient offer that cannot be resolved through negotiation, TravelStacks escalates. For US DOT claims: escalation to the DOT Air Consumer Protection Division with a follow-up complaint citing the airline's specific non-compliance. For EU261 claims departing EU airports: escalation to the national enforcement body in the departure country (France: DGAC; Germany: Luftfahrt-Bundesamt; Netherlands: ILT; Spain: AESA; etc.). Each national body has its own process and timeline. For UK261 claims: escalation to the UK CAA's alternative dispute resolution process. For Montreal Convention Article 19 claims: escalation to small claims court or federal court, depending on the claim amount and your preference. TravelStacks does not file court cases on your behalf (we are not a law firm), but we prepare a complete claim file with all documentation, correspondence, and timeline records that you or an attorney can use to file in court. For the escalation process detail, see the claims pages for /rights/eu261 and /rights/us-dot.

• ›

  Stage 1 (Intake and eligibility review): 1 business day. Faster if all documents are submitted at intake.

• ›

  Stage 2 (Filing): 1 to 2 business days after eligibility confirmation.

• ›

  Stage 3 (Follow-up and negotiation): 2 to 8 weeks depending on airline responsiveness and whether an extraordinary circumstances dispute arises.

• ›

  Stage 4 (Escalation): 2 to 6 months for enforcement body resolution. Small claims court: 1 to 3 months from filing to judgment in most US states.

Total resolution time: 2 to 4 weeks (US DOT), 4 to 12 weeks (EU261 cooperative), 4 to 6 months (EU261 escalated).

After submitting your claim to TravelStacks, your role is minimal. You need to: (1) respond within 24 hours if TravelStacks contacts you for missing documentation; (2) make a decision if TravelStacks presents a settlement offer for your approval (Stage 3 negotiation); (3) decide whether to accept a partial settlement or proceed with escalation if the airline offers less than the full amount; and (4) provide payment information for the $19 US DOT fee (collected after filing, via Stripe). That is the full scope of passenger action required. TravelStacks handles the filing, follow-up, regulatory correspondence, and escalation decisions. You receive email updates at each stage. If you want to be more involved, you can always contact us with questions. The goal is for this process to require as little time from you as possible. If you haven't filed yet, start at /claim.

A claim is closed successfully when: the airline pays the full applicable compensation or refund, the funds clear to TravelStacks, TravelStacks deducts the fee, and the net payment is transferred to you. A claim is escalated further when: the airline refuses after Stage 3 negotiation, the airline's extraordinary circumstances defense cannot be resolved at the direct negotiation level, or the airline's partial settlement offer is not acceptable and escalation is likely to produce a better outcome. TravelStacks notifies you at the escalation decision point and explains the expected timeline and probability of success before proceeding. You have the option to accept a partial settlement at any stage rather than wait for escalation. TravelStacks does not pressure you into escalation; we present the options and let you decide. See what happens after you submit a flight claim for the complete guide, and for context on writing your own demand letter as an alternative, see how to write an airline complaint letter. Ready to file? Go to /claim.

TravelStacks presents escalation options to you before proceeding. You decide whether to accept a partial settlement or escalate. We do not escalate without your consent.