What if you give up your seat on your flight and the airline doesn't pay what it promises you?That's what happened to John Keohen. //

How to avoid a loooooong payment delay
Here are a few suggestions for avoiding a lengthy delay:

Keep a paper trail that would make the Germans proud.
A letter on letterhead signed by an authorized representative should suffice. Don’t let them scribble on a printout. It’s not good enough.
File a claim early.
Don’t wait until you return from your trip to file a claim. Planes have WiFi, so it’s a perfect time to get the claims process started. The sooner, the better.
Call the pros.
Whether it’s regulators or a company like AirHelp or a consumer advocate, you should call a professional if you want to fast-track your refund or compensation check.
Keep up the pressure.
Keohen never gave up. Neither did my advocacy team. By applying polite pressure over an extended time, we finally got the promised money.