UK Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation Explained

Compensation is separate from a refund. If a flight is cancelled, a passenger may be entitled to both a refund of the unused ticket and fixed compensation, provided the cause is within the airline's control.

When you are entitled to compensation

UK air passenger rights are set out in retained Regulation EC261, the domestic version of the European rules that continued to apply after the United Kingdom left the European Union. The regulation is enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority. Fixed cash compensation becomes payable when a flight arrives at its destination three hours or more late, when a flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or when a passenger is denied boarding against their will because a flight is overbooked. The rules apply to any flight departing from a UK airport, to flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline, and to flights departing an EU airport on any airline. A crucial condition is fault: compensation is due only when the disruption is within the airline's control. If the delay or cancellation is caused by circumstances the airline could not have avoided, fixed compensation is not payable, although other duties still apply. The amount does not depend on the price of the ticket.

How much you can claim

The amount of compensation depends on the distance of the flight and, for longer flights, on the length of the delay. For short-haul flights of under 1,500 kilometres, the fixed sum is £220. For medium-haul flights of between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, it is £350. For long-haul flights of more than 3,500 kilometres, the sum is £520, although this is reduced by half to £260 where the airline gets the passenger to their destination within four hours of the original scheduled arrival time. These are per-passenger amounts and apply to each named traveller on the booking, including children who occupy a seat. Because the compensation is a fixed statutory sum rather than a refund, it is separate from and in addition to any refund of the ticket where the flight is cancelled and the passenger chooses not to travel. Passengers should keep boarding passes, booking references and any communication from the airline, as these support a claim.

Extraordinary circumstances and the fault test

Airlines are not required to pay compensation when a delay or cancellation results from what the regulation calls extraordinary circumstances: events outside the airline's control that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Common examples include severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, strikes by third parties such as airport or air traffic control staff, security alerts and bird strikes. The distinction can be technical. A mechanical fault that is part of the normal operation and maintenance of an aircraft is generally treated as within the airline's control, so compensation is usually due. By contrast, a genuine safety diversion or an emergency landing prompted by a hidden defect or an external event may fall outside it. High-profile incidents such as an emergency diversion of a flight into Heathrow illustrate the point: where an aircraft returns or diverts for a safety reason, the airline's duty to care for passengers still applies in full, but fixed compensation depends on whether the underlying cause is judged to be within the airline's control. Passengers who disagree with an airline's assessment can challenge it.

What else the airline owes you

Compensation is only one part of a passenger's rights. When a flight is delayed by a set number of hours, which varies with distance, the airline has a duty of care: it must provide meals and refreshments appropriate to the wait, a means of communication such as phone calls, and, where an overnight stay becomes necessary, hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and the hotel. This duty of care applies even when the delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances, so it is owed regardless of whether fixed compensation is payable. If a flight is cancelled, the passenger has a choice between a full refund of the unused parts of the ticket, paid within seven days, or an alternative flight to the same destination at the earliest opportunity or at a later date of their choosing. If the airline fails to provide meals or accommodation and the passenger has to pay for reasonable items themselves, those out-of-pocket costs can usually be reclaimed, provided receipts are kept and the amounts are not excessive.

How to make a claim

The first step in any claim is to contact the airline directly, in writing, setting out the flight details, the length of the delay or the fact of cancellation, and the compensation or costs being claimed. Airlines are required to respond, and many operate an online claim form for this purpose. If the airline rejects the claim or does not respond within a reasonable period, the passenger can escalate. Most UK airlines belong to an alternative dispute resolution scheme approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, such as CEDR or AviationADR, which can consider the dispute independently and free of charge to the passenger. Where an airline is not a member of an ADR scheme, the Civil Aviation Authority's own passenger advice and complaints service can review the case. As a final route, a claim can be pursued through the county court, and in England and Wales the ordinary time limit for bringing such a claim is six years from the date of the flight. Passengers do not need to use a claims management company, which typically charges a fee out of any award, to make a claim themselves.

Why this matters now

Air travel disruption has been prominent in recent days, with an emergency flight into Heathrow and a separate diversion involving an Emirates service drawing attention to what passengers are owed when a journey does not go to plan. Incidents of this kind are a reminder that the rules distinguish sharply between the airline's duty to look after stranded passengers, which is almost always owed, and the separate right to fixed cash compensation, which depends on the cause. Understanding the difference helps travellers respond calmly: keep every document, ask the airline in writing to confirm the reason for the disruption, claim the duty of care at the airport, and pursue compensation afterwards if the cause turns out to be within the airline's control. The statutory amounts of £220, £350 and £520 are set in law and do not depend on goodwill, so a well-documented claim that meets the conditions has a clear legal basis whatever the airline's initial response.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation can you claim for a delayed UK flight?

The fixed amounts are £220 for short-haul flights under 1,500 km, £350 for medium-haul flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km, and £520 for long-haul flights over 3,500 km, paid per passenger when the delay is three hours or more and the airline is at fault.

Can you claim if the delay was caused by bad weather?

No. Weather is treated as an extraordinary circumstance outside the airline's control, so fixed compensation is not payable, although the airline must still provide meals, refreshments and, if needed, accommodation.

Is compensation the same as a refund?

No. Compensation is a fixed statutory sum for the disruption, while a refund returns the cost of an unused ticket. Where a flight is cancelled, a passenger may be entitled to both.

How long do you have to make a claim?

In England and Wales, a court claim can generally be brought up to six years after the flight, though claims are usually made to the airline as soon as possible after the disruption.

Do you need a claims company to get compensation?

No. Passengers can claim directly from the airline free of charge and escalate to an approved dispute resolution scheme or the Civil Aviation Authority if needed, without paying a claims management fee.