A firm dealing solely in flight delay compensation claims has entered the UK market to capitalise on a landmark ruling which opened the way to a wave of legal action against airlines.

The UK branch of Austria-based FairPlane, which promotes itself as helping passengers claim compensation in the case of flight delays, cancellations or rebookings, has been approved as an alternative business structure by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The licence comes as claims in the flight compensation area are expected to take off after the Supreme Court denied airlines Jet2.com and Thomson Airways permission to appeal in two flight delay compensation cases last October.

There is a market for 1.5 million passenger claims per year, according to Paul Hinchliffe, managing partner of personal injury firm Bott & Co, which acted for the claimant in the Jet2.com case, as few law firms are involved in the area due to the low value of these claims.

Personal injury lawyer Simon Pinner, a director and co-founder of Box Legal, which provides ‘after the event’ insurance to solicitors, is listed as the head of legal at the new entity. He declined to comment on the ABS approval.

According to Companies House, FairPlane UK was incorporated on December 23 last year and was founded by Pinner alongside personal injury lawyer Daniel Morris, who is also a director and co-founder of Box Legal. 

The firm has been licensed for rights of audience, conduct of litigation, reserved instrument activities, probate activities and the administration of oaths.