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VOLA GUIDES · UPDATED 2026-08-01

Lawyer, claims agency, or doing it yourself — what's the best way to claim?

For a standard EU261 claim, you almost never need a lawyer to start — the regulation is designed for passengers, and the first two steps (a formal letter, then a free regulator complaint) require no legal representation. The real choice is between your time, a commission, or a flat fee. Here's the arithmetic on a typical claim.

The four routes, on a €600 claim

  • Do it yourself: costs €0 plus your time and precision. You keep €600. Works well if you're comfortable with the rules on this page.
  • Commission agency ("no win, no fee"): published rates run 20–50%, several add surcharges and VAT on top. On €600 you typically keep €300–480 — and on a family of four claiming €2,400, the commission multiplies with every passenger.
  • A lawyer: hourly fees usually exceed a single claim's value. Worth it for injury claims, denied claims heading to court, or complex multi-leg disputes — not for step one.
  • vola: €29 flat, VAT included, once per booking — the finished letter with citations, the airline's real claims channel, deadline tracking, and free escalation prep. You keep the full €600 (or €2,400 — the fee doesn't multiply).

When a lawyer IS the right answer

Be honest with yourself about scale: if the airline has refused after a regulator complaint, if there's personal injury involved, or if a package-travel dispute wraps around your flight, a lawyer (or small-claims court, which is designed for self-representation in most EU countries) is the correct escalation. Everything before that point is paperwork you or a tool can do.

Why agencies dominate anyway

Because most passengers don't know the claim is simple. The agency's pitch — "we take the risk" — sounds fair until you notice the risk on a valid claim is small: the regulation is 20 years old, the case law is settled, and the burden of proof is on the airline (Article 5(3)). "No win, no fee" prices in a risk that mostly isn't there.

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

Is 'no win, no fee' safer than paying upfront?

It removes a small €29-sized risk in exchange for 20–50% of your compensation. On valid claims — which a free check identifies before you pay anything — the expected cost of the commission is far higher.

Can I switch routes midway?

If you've signed an assignment agreement with an agency, usually not without penalties — read before signing. A DIY or flat-fee letter keeps the claim yours, so every later option (regulator, court, lawyer) stays open.

What does vola actually do for the €29?

Verifies the flight against real flight data, computes the exact legal amount, writes the letter with the correct citations and a rebuttal of the airline's likely excuse, shows exactly where that airline accepts claims, tracks the 14-day deadline, and prepares the free regulator escalation if they stay silent.

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.