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Guillermo Plasencia

A delayed or cancelled flight can mean hours of uncertainty at the airport, missing a meeting, or having our dream vacations affected despite all the effort invested in them.

The problem is that although there are laws that give us the right to receive economic compensation when this happens, very few people know that they have the right to receive compensation, and when they do, today, trying to obtain that compensation means facing bureaucracy where there is no certainty or clarity on how the airline makes decisions about your rights. Additionally, it means reliving a terrible experience, investing time and effort in filling out forms, and often feeling helpless in the face of the airline’s refusal.

That’s why reflights.com was created, so you can make a good experience out of a bad one, claiming compensation more easily, more successfully, without stressing out from that bad memory, and with the greatest transparency possible from our side. In the end, it is our goal to do our best to win your compensation, so being transparent and avoiding stress is at the core of who we are working to be.

Tell us about yourself?

Hi there! My journey to this point has been shaped by a combination of experiences and passions. From a young age, I’ve always been fascinated by the opportunity to face challenges that could allow me to push my creative thinking into fixing, building, or designing out-of-the-box solutions to problems I’ve personally faced or struggled with. In addition, I’ve always been attracted to innovation through technology and design, and I think that passion has pushed me in the direction I’ve followed.

reflights didn’t start as a planned idea. It actually came from another startup I cofounded, in which I learned that one of the most important things one can do as an entrepreneur is to listen. This took me a while to accept, and instead of pushing my solution, it led me to listen, identify problems, and think about reflights.

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

If I could go back in time a year or two, the piece of advice I would give myself would be to not worry about the uncertainties or worry less about the things I cannot control. The last two years have been incredibly challenging for the airline industry. With flights being put on hold in 2020 and the future of air passenger rights being uncertain, not giving up and getting back up after a beat-up has helped me come out stronger.

I would remind myself that with every obstacle, there is an opportunity to grow and learn. The pandemic may have put a halt on flights, but it also presented the chance for me to reflect, re-evaluate goals, and work towards better reflights. With a quiet mind and a clear focus, I would be able to reignite the spark of a new and more exciting future for reflights in Canada.

What problem does your business solve?

Our business addresses the challenge faced by air passengers when it comes to asserting their rights and receiving compensation for flight cancellations, overbookings, or delays. Despite many times having legal rights to compensation, the process can be complex and confusing. The lack of clear information and a bureaucratic system very often results in frustration and a sense of powerlessness. In addition, most of us never even consider filing a claim because it takes time from doing what we love. It’s like, “We already lost time with the flight delayed. I don’t want to lose any more time”. And this is something we understand, and it’s why we currently work on a simplified approach to this problem in which we take care of all the processes with the airline in a streamlined, more accessible, and transparent manner. We basically handle the claim, taking the burden off our client’s shoulders. While we can’t guarantee a successful outcome, if there’s a denial without clear information from the airline, we will work on behalf of the passenger and push their claim to the relevant aviation authority, such as the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).

With our service, passengers can trust that their claims will be handled professionally and efficiently, transforming a complex and challenging process into something simple and stress-free.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

The decision to do business in Canada and not only in the EU and the UK was inspired by true events, specifically the frustrating and traumatic experience I had while flying back from Montreal to Toronto. During this trip, my baggage was lost, my flight was delayed for more than four hours due to an issue with the aircraft, and I was waiting at Pearson Airport until five a.m. just to receive some information about what happened with my missing baggage.

This experience sparked the idea for reflights in Canada, which was founded on the belief that air passengers deserve better. All air passengers, regardless of who paid for the booking or whether the trip was for business or pleasure, are entitled to compensation in the event of flight cancellations or delays.

What is your magic sauce?

Our magic sauce lies in our ability to try to be the best middle-man possible between air passengers and airlines. We understand the complexities of the systems and processes involved in the compensation claim process, and we strive to provide the best possible solution within those limitations. Instead of focusing on differences or similarities with other solutions or approaches, we concentrate on how far we can push our creativity and know-how to improve the overall experience for our customers. Our goal is to make the claim process as smooth as possible.

What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?

Our plan for the next five years is to continue to invest in technology and AI to streamline the claim process and make it more efficient. However, our main focus is to drive improvements in the complexities of the application of air passenger rights in Canada if this means helping airlines as well and making it more transparent and trustworthy for all. With these goals in mind, we aim for a hassle-free flying experience for all.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

In the end, we’re fully data-driven, so if KPIs are not performing, then that’s a clear indicator that a reevaluation is needed, and sometimes it has to go all the way into the business model funnel. Eventually, when you find multiple challenges to overcome and many KPIs are not performing as expected, you have to be decisive and make hard decisions. Be creative, prioritize more, and keep pushing, always keep pushing. One of the main issues we’ve faced as a middle-man is how to maximize conversions when several players are involved and when there are multiple variables on the table, so that’s why keeping a soundtrack of KPIs and listening to the market is key to driving success.

How can people get involved?

We’re looking for investors! You can reach out at guillermo@reflights.com or visit our website at reflights.com.