How to Write a Complaint Letter an Airline Can't Ignore

The structure

1. Facts: flight number, route, date, booking reference, and what happened.
2. Impact: the delay at arrival, the night in a hotel, the missed meeting. Keep it factual.
3. Request: the exact amount or outcome you are asking for, and why you believe it applies.
4. Evidence: a numbered list of what you have attached.
5. Deadline: a reasonable date, and what you will do next if you hear nothing.

Tone

The person reading it handles dozens of these a day and has limited discretion. Make their job easy and your case obvious. Anger is understandable, but it makes a claim harder to process, not easier.

Firm, specific and boring. That is the winning style.

Worked example

Flight XX123, London to Madrid, 14 March. Booking reference ABC123. The flight was cancelled at 18:40 and I was rebooked onto XX456 the following morning, arriving 14 hours later than scheduled.

I was not offered accommodation and booked a hotel near the airport for 96 EUR, receipt attached. I am claiming 400 EUR compensation under the applicable passenger rights rules, plus 96 EUR for the hotel.

Please confirm within 14 days. If I do not receive a reply I will refer the matter to the national enforcement body.

Common mistakes

• Sending it to a general social media account instead of the claims channel
• Writing three pages of story with no request at the end
• Accepting a voucher in the first reply when you wanted cash
• Waiting months, then finding a time limit has passed