How AirHelp's Fee Structure Works
AirHelp, one of the largest EU261 claim management companies, charges a success fee of approximately 35% of the compensation they recover. On a maximum €600 claim, that means:
- €600 claim → you receive €390, AirHelp keeps €210
- €400 claim → you receive €260, AirHelp keeps €140
- €250 claim → you receive €162.50, AirHelp keeps €87.50
Some services also charge additional fees for "legal action" — typically a further 15–25% if they need to escalate to a lawyer or court. Read the small print carefully.
What Do You Get for That Fee?
What claim management companies actually provide:
- A standardised claim letter (the same one you could write yourself, citing EU Regulation 261/2004)
- Follow-up emails if the airline doesn't respond
- Legal escalation if the airline denies the claim (this is where the additional fee often kicks in)
The "legal escalation" piece sounds valuable, but for most claims it's unnecessary. Airlines pay the majority of valid EU261 claims when presented with a properly written letter — especially after an NEB complaint is mentioned. The actual legal proceedings are rare.
The Flat-Fee Alternative
A flat-fee service generates the same formal claim letter — citing your specific flight details, the exact regulation, and your compensation amount — for a fixed price regardless of what you recover. The economics are clear:
- AirHelp on a €600 claim: you pay €210 (35%)
- Flat-fee service at $19.99: you pay $19.99 (~€18)
- You keep: an additional ~€192 by using the flat-fee approach
If the airline denies the claim and you escalate to the National Enforcement Body, that escalation is free — you don't need a claims company for it.
When a Claims Company Might Make Sense
There are two situations where paying a percentage may be worth it:
- Very old claims. If your flight was years ago and you've already received a denial, having a claims company with lawyers on staff may be worth the cost to pursue the case.
- You genuinely won't do it yourself. If you know you'll procrastinate filing for months, a company that handles everything may result in you getting 65% of something rather than 100% of nothing.
For most people with a recent flight disruption, filing directly is the better option by a large margin.
How to Evaluate Any Claim Company
- What is the exact percentage fee? (Read the full terms, not just the headline)
- Is there an additional fee for legal action?
- Is the fee charged on the gross payout or net?
- What is their actual success rate, and is it audited?
- Do they handle NEB escalation or only initial letters?