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AirHelp is a online service that allow airline passengers to seek compensation for flight cancellations, delays, or overbookings.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Claims management |
| Founders | Henrik Zillmer, Nicolas Michaelsen and Greg Roodt |
| Headquarters | Berlin |
Key people | Tomasz Pawliszyn (CEO) Jimmy Maymann (Board member) |
Number of employees | Over 350 |
| Website | https://www.airhelp.com/en/ |
The company's initial focus was Europe where it uses European Regulation No 261/2004 to seek to obtain compensation that a passenger is entitled to in the event of denied boarding, cancellation, or a long delay of flights.[2] However, since 2020, AirHelp has broadened its service and also supports passengers with flights in the US, Canada, Brazil, Turkey and Asia.
The company was founded by Henrik Zillmer, Nicolas Michaelsen and Greg Roodt in 2013.[3]
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Legislation
AirHelp utilises clauses of Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 and other local Air Passenger Rights regulations, such as UK261 in the United Kingdom, ANAC 400 in Brazil, air passenger protection regulations in Canada and Turkey, and Montreal Convention in US to help passengers obtain compensation.
Initial assessment
The eligibility of individual travelers is first determined through use of a web form or mobile app. The initial assessment is free. If Airhelp determines that a user is entitled to compensation, the user can commission the company to pursue a claim in exchange for a fee, with a fee only being charged if the company is successful in obtaining compensation.[4][5]
Out-of-court settlement vs legal action
Where an airline refuses to settle, AirHelp, together with its partners, can take legal action. On several occasions, these lawsuits have led to the courts to clarifying legal questions regarding passenger rights.[6]
Technology
To substantiate claims against airlines, AirHelp compiles information from multiple databases to verify the circumstances relating to the flight disruption. The company's also uses AI to check passengers' eligibility against the reason given by an airline to reject a claim, often weather conditions.[7] Airlines then have to offer proof that a flight was disrupted due to weather.[8]
The company is an early adopter of advanced process automation and AI and reported to have four bots that assist with claims: "Herman", "Lara", "AgA" which reviews all initial claims, and "Docky" which automatically requests additional travel documentation from passengers.[9][10]
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The company has faced criticism for a number of its practices.
It has been criticised for offering its services in the first place, with some arguing that AirHelp and others make a business out of something that a traveler is entitled to for free. Airhelp has countered by pointing out how difficult airlines make it for passengers both to know their rights and to claim compensation.[11] Although most passengers seem satisfied with AirHelp's services, some aviation authorities have warned that its success could lead to fare increases.[12]
The company has been criticized for a lack of transparency regarding its collaborations with travel agencies.[13]
Depending on an airline, the claims process can take weeks, months and even years. AirHelp's has been criticised by users for its practice of emailing travelers monthly claiming that their request is on-track before abruptly announcing that their case has been closed unsuccessfully (after failing to reach an agreement with an airline or due to new evidence proving that an airline was not at fault for the disruption), which has brought some discredit to the company.
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Each year since 2015, AirHelp has produced a global report of airport and airline rankings. The airports are ranked according to on-time performance (60%), service quality (20%) and food & shops (20%),[14] while airlines are ranked to on-time performance, service quality and claim processing with each category weighted equally.[15]
AirHelp uses its own databases, commercial vendors and passenger surveys to compile the data for their reports.[16]
On the basis of their AirHelp score, Bloomberg News has reported on the best and worst airlines and airports in the world for the years 2018[17] and 2019.[18] AirHelp rankings have also been used by a number of other media outlets, such as MSN[19] and Forbes.[20]
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