Your Flight Was Delayed or Cancelled
If your flight departs from a UK airport or arrives at a UK airport on a UK or EU carrier and is significantly delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to compensation under retained EU Regulation 261/2004. This page explains the rules, the amounts, and how to claim.
Quick Answer
Retained EU Regulation 261/2004 gives passengers the right to compensation of £220 to £520 depending on flight distance and delay length. Airlines cannot avoid paying by claiming operational reasons — only genuine extraordinary circumstances (such as severe weather or air traffic control strikes) exempt them. This is a legal entitlement, not a goodwill gesture.
Full Explanation
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, as retained in UK law following Brexit, gives air passengers rights in three situations: cancellation, long delay (3 hours or more at destination), or denied boarding due to overbooking. The regulation applies to flights departing from any UK airport and to flights arriving at a UK airport on a UK- or EU-licensed carrier.
The fixed compensation amounts are: £220 for flights of 1,500 km or less; £350 for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km; and £520 for all other flights. Compensation can be reduced by 50% where the airline offers re-routing that gets you to your destination no more than 2–4 hours late (depending on distance).
Airlines are exempt from paying compensation only where the cancellation or delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. The courts have interpreted this narrowly — technical faults in the aircraft generally do not qualify (Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia [2008]). Severe weather, air traffic control strikes, security incidents, and similar external events may qualify.
In addition to compensation, airlines have a duty of care: they must provide passengers with meals and refreshments, two telephone calls or emails, and hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is required. These entitlements apply regardless of whether extraordinary circumstances exempt the airline from compensation.
For disputes, the first step is a direct claim to the airline. If the airline rejects the claim or does not respond within 8 weeks, escalate to an Alternative Dispute Resolution body — AviationADR or CEDR — which handle UK aviation disputes. The Civil Aviation Authority also has an enforcement role. If ADR fails, small claims court proceedings are straightforward for individual passengers.
Legal Basis
- §Regulation (EC) 261/2004 (retained in UK law) — passenger rights for cancellation, delay, and denied boarding
- §Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia (Case C-549/07) [2008] — extraordinary circumstances must be external and unconnected to normal carrier operations
- §Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 — UK retained version post-Brexit
What To Do
Get Written Confirmation of Delay Reason From the Airline
Ask the airline or ground staff for written confirmation of the reason for the delay or cancellation. Also retain your boarding pass, booking confirmation, and any receipts for expenses incurred during the delay.
Submit a Compensation Claim Directly to the Airline
Submit a formal written claim to the airline's customer relations department citing Regulation 261/2004, your flight number, the delay duration, and the applicable compensation amount. Give the airline 8 weeks to respond before escalating.
Escalate to AviationADR or CEDR
If the airline rejects your claim or does not respond within 8 weeks, escalate to an approved ADR scheme. AviationADR and CEDR are both CAA-approved for aviation disputes. ADR is free for consumers; decisions are binding on the airline.
Issue Small Claims Court Proceedings If ADR Fails
If ADR does not resolve the dispute, issue a claim through Money Claim Online in the County Court. Claims under £10,000 are allocated to the small claims track. The 6-year limitation period applies.
Important Deadlines
Important Warnings
Beware of claims management companies that charge 25–30% of your compensation — you can make the claim yourself for free using the airline's portal, ADR, or small claims court.
If the airline is insolvent, your compensation claim ranks as an unsecured creditor claim. If you booked a package holiday, ATOL protection may cover you instead.
The compensation amounts are fixed and cannot be reduced by airline terms and conditions or travel vouchers offered in lieu — you are entitled to cash.