VOLA GUIDES · UPDATED 2026-08-01

The airline is ignoring my claim. Is complaining pointless?

No — but only if you escalate. Silence is the cheapest possible answer for an airline, and it works on everyone who stops there. The system anticipates this: every EU country and the UK has a national enforcement body (Article 16) that takes passenger complaints for free, and airlines answer regulators far more reliably than they answer passengers.

The escalation, step by step

Give your letter a deadline (14 days is standard) and keep proof of when and where you sent it.
On silence, file with the enforcement body of your departure country — for arrivals into Europe on a European airline, the arrival country. Every body accepts direct passenger complaints without a fee.
Attach your letter, the sending date, and your booking evidence. State that the deadline passed without an answer.
Regulator handling takes weeks to months depending on country — slow, but free, and it keeps your claim fully alive. Court remains open afterwards, usually via small-claims procedures designed for individuals.

Why this works when letters don't

An unanswered passenger costs an airline nothing. An enforcement-body case costs staff time and regulatory attention, and patterns of ignoring passengers show up in the statistics regulators publish. The airline's incentive flips the moment a regulator is watching — which is why the follow-up, not the first letter, is where many claims are actually won.

Check your flight — free

Two minutes, real flight data, no account, no bank details. If you’re owed money, the finished letter is €29 flat — you keep 100%.

Check my flight →

Questions

Which enforcement body is mine?

The country you departed from (or arrived in, for inbound flights on European carriers). Our refused-claims page lists every body with links — AESA for Spain, LBA for Germany, the CAA for the UK, and thirty more.

Does escalating cost anything?

No. Enforcement bodies don't charge passengers, and if you claim through vola the escalation preparation is included in the original €29 — there is no second fee at any stage.

How long do I have to escalate?

Your claim is bounded by your country's limitation period (one to six years), not by any escalation deadline — but sooner is stronger: records are fresher and the timeline is cleaner.

vola is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Compensation is decided by the airline, national enforcement bodies or the courts under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 and its UK equivalent.