AirHelp


AirHelp Ltd. is a claims management company that enforces passenger rights against airlines in cases of flight disruptions. AirHelp is also known for publishing annual rankings of airports and airlines.
The company was founded as a startup by Henrik Zillmer, Nicolas Michaelsen and Greg Roodt in 2013. Its operation is based on European Regulation No 261/2004, under which passengers in the EU are entitled to compensation in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or a long delay of flights.

Services

AirHelp assists passengers in claiming compensation for flight disruptions that fall under the clauses of Regulation No. 261/2004. It determines the eligibility of individual travelers through a web form and an app for Android and iOS devices. This initial assessment of cases is offered as a free service. If the firm considers that users are entitled to a compensation, users may commission the company to pursue their claim in exchange for a success-based fee. . Relying on this procedure, AirHelp has reportedly helped more than 10 million passengers claim compensation in over 30 countries.
In cases in which an airline rejects an out-of-court settlement, AirHelp takes legal action. On several occasions, this activity has prompted courts to clarify previously disputed legal questions regarding passenger rights.
To substantiate claims against airlines, AirHelp compiles information from multiple databases to reconstruct the circumstances of flight disruptions in question. The company's CEO Zillmer states that their use of AI technology enables the company to cross-check passengers' eligibility for compensation against the excuse of weather conditions that airlines often use to reject claims. The company's co-founder Nicolas Michaelsen has also stated that airlines have to offer proof when flights are disrupted due to weather.
In February 2019 the company added two new bots to their existing bots "Herman" and "Lara": the new bot dubbed "AgA" reviews all claims coming into the AirHelp website and app, whereas "Docky" automatically requests additional travel documentation that may be needed for a decision to be reached.
Although most passengers seem to be satisfied with AirHelp's services, some aviation authorities have warned it will lead to fare increases.

Criticism

The company has been criticized for a lack of transparency regarding its collaborations with travel agencies, and for openly stating that it treats flight disruptions as business opportunities to attract partnerships. In response to the accusation that AirHelp and other companies in the field of flight compensation management are making a business out of something that a traveler is entitled to for free, its CEO Henrik Zillmer has said that airlines make it difficult for passengers to know their rights and claim for compensation.
Several price-comparison portals have pointed out that AirHelp charges higher fees than most other companies that also enforce passenger rights - at least in cases in which legal action becomes necessary to enforce a claim.

Global rankings

Each year since 2015 AirHelp produces a global report of airport and airline rankings. The airports are ranked according to on-time performance, service quality and food & shops, while airlines are ranked to on-time performance, service quality and claim processing, with each category weighted equally. AirHelp utilizes its own databases, commercial vendors and passenger surveys to compile the necessary data for their reports. 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 and 2019. AirHelp rankings have also been used in articles by a number of other media outlets, such as MSN and Forbes.

Airlines


Year72nd71st70th69th68th67th66th65th64th63rd
2019Thomas Cook AirlinesEasyJetKuwait AirwaysKorean AirRyanairNorwegianLaudamotionTransaviaAerolineas ArgentinasAdria Airways
2018WOW AirRoyal Jordanian AirlinesPakistan International AirlinesEasyJetAir MauritiusRyanairKorean AirIberiaAerolineas ArgentinasJet Airways

Airports


Year132nd131st130th129th128th127th126th125th124th123rd
2019Lisbon Portela Kuwait International Eindhoven Henri Coandă Malta International Manchester Paris Orly Porto Billy Bishop Toronto City London Gatwick
Year141st140th139th138th137th136th135th134th133rd132nd
2018Kuwait International London Stansted Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Paris Orly Stockholm Bromma Manchester Boryspil International Edinburgh Bordeaux Merignac Eindhoven