KM Malta Airlines family and group compensation claims
Short answer: fixed KM Malta Airlines compensation is calculated per eligible passenger, not per booking. A family of four can therefore have four EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 claims when each traveller meets the conditions. One adult may coordinate the submission, but every claimant must be identified and KM can request authority to act for other adults. Shared hotel or taxi costs are claimed once at their actual value, not multiplied per person.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
Children on publicly available paid fares and eligible commercial reward tickets are not excluded merely because an adult made the booking. A lap infant, free staff ticket or special non-public fare needs separate review.
This family and group procedure reflects current sources checked on 13 August 2026. Future EU claim formalities adopted in July 2026 were not yet applicable.
Per-passenger calculation
| Item | How to calculate |
|---|---|
| Fixed delay or cancellation compensation | Statutory amount for each eligible traveller |
| Involuntary denied boarding | Immediate amount for each passenger refused |
| Downgrade | Percentage of each passenger's affected segment price |
| Meals | Actual receipts for people fed |
| Hotel room | Actual room charge, not number of occupants multiplied |
| Shared taxi | One fare allocated to the booking |
| Baggage loss | Proven belongings and Convention limit by affected passenger |
Example: two adults and two fare-paying children qualify for EUR 250 each. The fixed total is 4 x EUR 250 = EUR 1,000. If they shared one EUR 48 taxi, the expense schedule adds EUR 48, not EUR 192.
Check every passenger's ticket status
Retain the passenger list, e-ticket receipt and fare breakdown. Confirm who had a ticket, who checked in and who actually travelled or was rerouted.
EU261 applies to fares available directly or indirectly to the public and to tickets issued under frequent-flyer or other commercial programmes. A child's discounted public fare can qualify. A free ticket unavailable to the public may not.
For an infant, check whether a ticket and fare were issued and whether the infant occupied a seat. Do not promise a separate fixed amount from the family name alone. State the documentation and ask KM to explain any exclusion.
One submission or several?
One booking contact can organise a family case, which keeps the chronology and receipts together. List every claimant with full ticket details and requested amount. KM may require signed authority, identity verification or separate bank details for adults.
For unrelated group travellers, do not assume the booker can legally settle everyone's claim. Obtain written authority that states whether it covers submission, communication and receipt of payment. A travel organiser's booking role is not automatically an assignment of passenger rights.
Children's claims should be submitted by a parent, guardian or authorised representative under the applicable rules. Avoid uploading unnecessary identity documents; use KM's requested secure channel.
The KM claim form guide lists the core documents.
One booking and final destination
A protected family connection is assessed to the final ticketed destination. If the group is split across replacement flights, record each passenger's actual arrival. Some members can cross the three-hour threshold while others do not.
Suppose two passengers are rerouted and arrive 2 hours 40 minutes late, while two arrive 4 hours late. The fixed delay analysis may produce claims only for the later pair, although everyone can have care expenses based on actual waiting.
On separate tickets, do not merge a family holiday route into one statutory journey. Insurance or an OTA guarantee may address a missed independent connection.
Notice and communication
Cancellation notice can reach the booking contact for all passengers, but preserve who received it and when. If an OTA held the email, obtain both the airline-to-agent and agent-to-passenger timeline.
Do not assume one traveller's earlier independent knowledge notified every passenger. Conversely, a family booking contact authorised to receive messages may establish notice for the reservation. Use the actual communication record.
For airport changes, keep each boarding pass. A family split should not lose track of the final-arrival evidence.
Care for families and vulnerable travellers
Reasonable care should reflect the group. Children, passengers with reduced mobility and accompanying persons may need accessible transport, suitable meals and appropriate accommodation. Record requirements at the time rather than only after purchase.
Claim actual expenses. A single restaurant receipt can cover all family members if items and date are clear. If individuals paid separately, list each receipt and payer. Do not include alcohol or unrelated guests.
If KM offers rooms that split a parent from a young child or provides unusable transport, explain why the arrangement was not effective and document the reasonable alternative.
Baggage owned by different family members
Families often place belongings in a bag checked under one passenger's name. Court of Justice guidance recognises that another passenger can prove their own items were inside and seek compensation, subject to the Convention limit and evidence.
Create an inventory by owner, purchase evidence and reasonable depreciated value. The current 1,519 SDR baggage limit is per passenger and is a ceiling for proven damage, not an automatic payment for each family member.
Make the PIR immediately and meet written seven- or 21-day notice requirements. Do not add the same item to two passengers' inventories.
Payment and settlement
Provide bank details in the format KM requests and state the beneficial claimant. If KM pays one account for the group, reconcile the amount by passenger and remedy.
Read settlement wording before accepting. One adult should not waive another adult's claim without authority. A ticket refund, care reimbursement and fixed payment should appear separately so partial settlement is visible.
If KM pays fewer passengers, ask which eligibility fact differs. Use the rejected claim guide rather than resubmitting an unexplained total.
FAQ
Is KM compensation paid per booking or passenger?
Fixed EU261 compensation is calculated for each eligible passenger, even when one person bought the whole reservation.
Can children receive the same fixed amount as adults?
Yes when they travelled on an eligible ticket and meet the same disruption conditions. Public child fares are not excluded solely because discounted.
Can one adult claim for everyone?
One person can coordinate, but KM may require authority for other adults and proof of parental or guardian capacity for children.
Do I multiply one hotel receipt by family size?
No. Claim the actual room expense once and state which passengers it covered.
Can belongings in another family member's checked bag be claimed?
Potentially yes if ownership and presence in the bag are proven. The Convention ceiling is not an automatic award and duplicate inventories must be avoided.