The airline rejected your compensation claim. Here is how to appeal

Updated 2026-10-13

The airline said no. That is the airline's view, not a ruling. In the Nordic countries, passengers regularly win cases the airline first rejected, usually because the airline cannot back up its excuse with evidence.

This page is for flights from or to Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

What the rejection usually means

Most rejections rest on one of these:

Extraordinary circumstances. Weather, air traffic control, a strike, a bird strike or "safety reasons".
"Not our flight". The delay happened on another airline's part of your journey.
Too late. The airline says you claimed too long after the flight.
Under three hours. The airline counts the arrival time differently from you.

The letter is often short and generic. It rarely says what actually happened to your flight.

What the law says

Under EU Regulation 261/2004, which also applies in Norway through the EEA agreement, the airline only escapes the fixed compensation if it proves two things:

The disruption was caused by an extraordinary circumstance outside its normal operations.
It took all reasonable measures, including rerouting you on other airlines.

The burden of proof is on the airline (Wallentin-Hermann C-549/07). The Nordic boards and courts apply this strictly:

Technical faults are part of normal operations (van der Lans C-257/14). Finland's Consumer Disputes Board (KRIL) rejected Finnair's "hidden manufacturing defect" argument for a four-month-old A350 (D/4498/35/2018).
Crew illness is not extraordinary, even away from base (TAP C-156/22; Sweden's ARN 2020-08400).
The airline's own staff strike is not extraordinary (Airhelp v SAS C-28/20).
Weather and ATC are often accepted as events, but airlines lose when they cannot show how the event hit your flight, or what they did to get you there. A Danish appeal court ruled against KLM because it only checked its partner airlines for rerouting (Vestre Landsret BS-25495/2021-VLR, applying C-74/19).
Arrival time is when the doors open, not touchdown (C-452/13).

What evidence to ask for

Ask the airline in writing for documents about your flight:

delay codes and a timeline
weather reports (METAR) and how long the weather lasted
ATC slot messages or NOTAMs
technical log entries and any incident report
crew rosters if crew was the cause
which other airlines' flights they checked when rerouting you

A rejection that only names the event is not proof.

Step by step

Reply to the airline in writing. Explain why the rejection does not hold and ask for the evidence. Keep copies and dates.
Wait for the answer. Typical waiting periods before you can escalate: about 4 weeks in Sweden and Norway, 6 weeks in Denmark.
Go to the right complaint body. This depends on where the disruption happened, not on the airline's nationality. See our guide to the Nordic complaint boards.
Court is the last step. None of the four bodies can force an airline to pay you. If the airline ignores the decision, you go to the small claims court (or the Conciliation Board, forliksrådet, in Norway).

Deadlines: they differ by country. Finnair rejects claims made more than two months after the flight. In Sweden, a claim within two months is always on time. Norway and Denmark apply a 3-year limitation period. Claim as early as you can.

When it is worth appealing, and when it is not

Usually worth it: technical faults, crew illness or crew hours, the airline's own strikes, and weather or ATC that the airline has not documented for your flight.

Harder: strikes by air traffic controllers or airport staff, airport security queues, political unrest, and airspace closures that hit everyone. Even then you can still ask what the airline did to reroute you.

Be realistic about time. Typical board times range from about 140 days in Norway to about 17 months in Finland.

Appeal My Flight turns the rejection into a ready-to-send appeal and board complaint for €29 per booking, however many passengers. You send it yourself and the compensation is paid to you.

FAQ

Can I appeal if the airline says its decision is final?

Yes. The airline's answer does not bind you.

Do I have to prove why the flight was late?

No. The airline has to prove both the event and that it did everything reasonable.

Can I also claim meals and hotel costs?

Yes. Proven costs can be claimed on top of the fixed compensation and are not deducted from it.

I live in the Nordics but am not a citizen. Does that matter?

No. Your rights depend on the flight, not your nationality or residence.