How to get compensation for a delayed flight?

A flight delay can often significantly disrupt your travel plans. Not only are you stranded at the airport, but you might end up being late for an important business meeting, an already planned event, or even another flight in your itinerary.

Thankfully, British and EU regulations protect your rights when a flight delay happens. Depending on the exact circumstances of your flight delay, you might be eligible for flight delay compensation of up to £520!

When can I claim flight delay compensation?

Generally, you can claim compensation if you arrived at your destination at least 3 hours later than according to the schedule. 

What is the amount of compensation I can get?

Depending on the distance of your delayed flight, you might be entitled to up to £520 per person.

Flight compensation for flights within the EU

• £220 compensation for a delayed flight up to 1500 km
• £350 compensation for a delayed flight over 1500 km

Flight compensation for flights from the EU to a non-EU country

• £220 compensation for a delayed flight up to 1500 km
• £350 compensation for a delayed flight between 1500 km and 3500 km
• £520 compensation for a delayed flight over 3500 km

Extraordinary circumstances — when the airline doesn’t have to pay out compensation

There are situations where you won’t be able to claim compensation, even if your flight gets delayed by at least 3 hours. These situations are called extraordinary circumstances.

The most common extraordinary circumstances are:

• Bad weather, preventing the plane’s take off.
• A strike of a third-party, for example, the air traffic control. Strike of the airline’s employees, however, is not considered an extraordinary circumstance.
• A sick or unruly passenger.

Compensation for a cancelled flight

You might also be able to claim compensation if your flight was cancelled. If you received the notification about flight cancellation fewer than 14 days prior to the original departure date, you are most likely eligible for flight cancellation compensation. There are, however, additional criteria in regard to the alternative flight offered by the airline.

• If your flight was cancelled fewer than 7 days prior to the original departure date, the alternative flight offered by the airline must depart more than 1h earlier or arrive more than 2h later compared to your original flight. 
• If your flight was cancelled between 7-14 days prior to the original departure date, the alternative flight offered by the airline must depart more than 2h earlier or arrive more than 4h later compared to your original flight.
• If you were not offered any alternative flight, you can also claim compensation.

Reimbursement of other costs

If your flight was delayed or cancelled, you might also try claiming reimbursement for any additional expenses you have incurred due to the flight disruption. Some of the more common additional expenses that you can get reimbursed for are:

• Additional night(s) at a hotel
• Meal purchased at an airport restaurant
• Costs of taxis or car rentals