# 14 · Flight delay / cancellation compensation (EU261 and UK261)

**Use when:** your flight **arrived 3+ hours late**, was **cancelled** with less than 14 days' notice, or you were **denied boarding**, and the flight was covered (see below). Claim directly with the airline: it's free. Claim companies take a cut.

## Am I covered? (basics: check the official pages before claiming)
EU Regulation 261/2004 generally covers:
- flights **departing from an EU airport** (any airline), and
- flights **arriving in the EU on an EU airline**.
(Iceland, Norway and Switzerland apply it too.)

The UK kept an equivalent law after Brexit ("UK261") for flights from UK airports and flights into the UK on UK or EU airlines.

**Compensation amounts (per passenger):**

| Distance | EU261 | UK261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and intra-EU flights over 1,500 km) | €400 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 (£260 if 3–4 hours late) |

Notes:
- Delay is measured at **arrival** (when the doors open), and it must be **3 hours or more**.
- **No compensation for "extraordinary circumstances"**: e.g. severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security risks. Technical faults are usually NOT extraordinary. Strikes by the airline's own staff usually aren't either.
- Separate from compensation, you have a **right to care** (meals, drinks, hotel if overnight) and, for cancellations, a choice between **refund or re-routing**.
- Amounts can be cut by 50% on long flights if you were re-routed and arrived within certain limits.
- **Reform status (October 2026):** in June 2026 the EU Parliament and Council reached a political agreement to revise EU261 that, per reporting, **keeps the 3-hour threshold and the €250/€400/€600 amounts**. Until the new law is formally adopted and in force, the 2004 rules apply. Check europa.eu → Your Europe → Air passenger rights before claiming.

Official sources: europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm · caa.co.uk (Delays and cancellations).

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## The claim (use the airline's EU261 claim form if it has one; paste this in the free-text box or email)

**Subject:** Compensation claim under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 · flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] on [DATE] · booking [PNR]

Dear [AIRLINE],

I was a passenger on flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] from [DEPARTURE AIRPORT] to [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] on [DATE], booking reference [PNR]. [The flight arrived at [TIME], [X] hours and [Y] minutes after the scheduled arrival time of [TIME]. / The flight was cancelled on [DATE], [X] days before departure. / I was denied boarding against my will.]

The flight distance is approximately [KM] km. Under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 261/2004 [UK: the retained UK version of that Regulation], I am entitled to compensation of [€250/€400/€600 or £220/£350/£520] per passenger for the following passengers: [NAMES].

I also request reimbursement of the following expenses incurred while waiting, which the airline did not provide: [MEALS / HOTEL / TRANSPORT], total [AMOUNT], receipts attached.

Please pay [TOTAL] to:
[ACCOUNT HOLDER NAME] · [IBAN / SORT CODE + ACCOUNT NUMBER] · [BIC]

If you believe extraordinary circumstances apply, please explain them specifically and provide supporting evidence.

I look forward to your reply within 14 days.

Kind regards,
[NAME] · [ADDRESS] · [EMAIL]

Attach: boarding passes, booking confirmation, receipts, any delay/cancellation messages.

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## If the airline says no or ignores you (after ~6–8 weeks)
- **EU:** complain to the **National Enforcement Body** of the country where the incident happened (list on the Your Europe page). Italy: ENAC. Some countries have ADR schemes or small-claims procedures.
- **UK:** if the airline belongs to an approved ADR scheme, escalate there; otherwise the **CAA** can help.
- Time limits to claim depend on the country (courts apply national limitation periods). Don't wait.

> Use a distance calculator for the great-circle distance between the two airports (search "airport distance calculator").