Ever been bumped from a flight and had no idea what your options were?

Nowadays, with mergers, elimination of hubs, and less competition on certain routes, airlines routinely oversell flights based on how many people haven’t shown up for the flight in the past. Sometimes the bumps are voluntary, and fliers are happy to accept a voucher or rebooking for a future flight. But what if you’re bumped against your will? What are your options?

A new app is here to help in this situation: AirHelp. The app helps to solve the conflict on your behalf directly with the airline in the event of a delay, cancellation, or straight up bump off the flight. If you’ve ever been bumped and felt helpless, this company aims to make you feel empowered instead.

Inside of the app, you enter in the reason you aren’t on your flight, the flight info, how long you’ve been delayed, and any other details you might have. Then, it lets you know what each airline entitles you to. If it’s serious, they will help you file a monetary claim, with a 25% fee.

Each airline has a policy regarding bumps, and it’s impossible to keep up with them all. With AirHelp, you can find out what your options are from the first sign of trouble.

In addition, certain credit cards offer trip cancellation and/or delay insurance, which would also entitle you to a reimbursement of meals, clothing, lodging, and transport. Each card has their own terms & conditions, but if you’re bumped, open up AirHelp, then call your credit card company. Yet another reason to hold a premium card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Platinum Card. Instead of panicking, know what you’re entitled to, and get help when you need it.

Bottom line

I downloaded AirHelp as a type of “insurance” for flight bumps – I know the app is there but I hope I never have to use it. Still, in case something goes wrong, it’s nice to know you have options. Free download too, so nothing to lose. I kinda hope I never have to make a followup post to this, but if I ever do, I’ll report more about the AirHelp experience. Anyone had a chance to use this app yet?

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