Top airlines in compensation claims

TAP Air Portugal, LOT Polish Airlines, and Wizz Air are leading in a ranking by AirAdvisor that evaluates how airlines handle passenger compensation claims. The ranking is based on the company’s "honesty index" 2026, which looks at the results of claims processed through its services. AirAdvisor analyzed 68,283 claims from January to June 2026, covering 59 airlines, and the final ranking includes 22 carriers with at least 100 admissible claims, totaling 10,760 cases.

TAP Air Portugal tops the list

TAP Air Portugal ranks first with a score of 93 out of 100. Of 159 claims analyzed, 88.7% had been resolved favorably, and only one case, or 0.6% of the sample, had gone to court. The average time to resolve claims was about ten days.

LOT Polish Airlines follows closely

LOT Polish Airlines ranks second with a score of 89.7 out of 100. Of its 239 claims, 82.8% had favorable outcomes, and none had been taken to court. This performance places it just behind TAP Air Portugal in the ranking.

Wizz Air completes the top three

Wizz Air ranks third with 83.2 out of 100. It had the largest sample of 866 cases, with 72.7% resolved favorably and 1.2% taken to court. Iberia and Brussels Airlines follow in the rankings based on the same period of claims.

Air France and KLM perform poorly

Air France is sixth with 59% of its 753 admissible claims resulting in a favorable outcome, while 2.9% had been taken to court. The average payment time was 27.9 days. KLM ranks eighth with 51.5% of claims resolved favorably, and only 0.2% had judicial recourse.

Lufthansa and Ryanair face challenges

Lufthansa and Ryanair have the lowest resolution rates in the AirAdvisor database. Only 2.3% of Lufthansa’s 970 claims had favorable outcomes, with 9.1% taken to court. For Ryanair, the numbers were even lower: 2.1% favorable outcomes and 17.8% taken to court. These figures, however, do not mean all remaining claims will be rejected, as some may still be in progress.

TAROM and others rank at the bottom

TAROM ends the ranking with a score of 23.3 out of 100. Of its 122 claims, only four had been resolved favorably, while 57 had gone to court, or 46.7%. AeroItalia and Ryanair follow with scores of 29.1 and 34.2, respectively.

Delays vary significantly among airlines

The time it takes for airlines to resolve claims ranges widely. Condor has the shortest delay at seven days, while SATA/Azores Airlines takes up to 130 days. TAP and Iberia average ten days, while TAROM takes 110 days. Ryanair’s 80-day delay is not directly comparable, as it is calculated only on a part of the resolved claims.

Limitations of the study

The study has limitations, as the claims submitted to AirAdvisor do not represent all passengers or all claims received by airlines. The ranking does not evaluate punctuality, cancellation rates, safety, or overall service quality. The score is based on the rate of favorable resolutions (60%) and the rate of avoiding court (40%). The results reflect the current state of progress, as pending cases can affect the proportions later.

European compensation rules

Under European Regulation No. 261/2004, passengers may be entitled to compensation if a flight is delayed by at least three hours upon arrival, unless the airline could not have avoided it. The compensation amounts are 250, 400, or 600 euros, depending on the flight distance. Cancellations may also qualify for compensation, depending on the circumstances.

Compensation and other passenger rights

Passenger compensation should not be confused with ticket refunds, rerouting, or assistance like meals and accommodation, which are separate obligations. In France, passengers must first submit a claim to the airline, keeping proof. The DGAC advises waiting at least two months for a response before reporting to its services. Using a specialized company is not required to claim compensation.