Determine EU261/2004 compensation eligibility and trigger a refund or compensation claim via API

Verified steps

1. At flight disruption time, retrieve the flight's actual departure and arrival from a flight status API; compute the arrival delay at the final destination (not the delayed segment).
2. Apply EU261 thresholds: for cancellations notified fewer than 14 days before departure and for delays of 3 or more hours on arrival, compensation is potentially owed at €250 (under 1500 km), €400 (1500–3500 km), or €600 (over 3500 km).
3. Check extraordinary circumstances exclusion: weather warnings issued by national meteorological authorities, ATC strikes, or security events documented by the airport may exempt the airline from paying compensation even when delays meet the threshold.
4. If eligible, submit the compensation claim through the airline's designated claims API or web endpoint — most airlines expose a REST endpoint for automated claims submission; include PNR, ticket number, passenger name, and evidence of delay.
5. For refunds (passenger rejected rebooking): trigger the airline's refund API or GDS void/refund workflow; per EU261 Article 8, full ticket refund must be processed within 7 days for eligible cases.
6. Track claim status via the airline's claims status endpoint or via ARC/BSP settlement records; escalate to national enforcement bodies if the airline does not process within the statutory timeframe.