Overview

• Travellers qualify if the flight departed a UK/EU airport or arrived in the UK/EU on a UK/EU airline, the delay reached three hours on arrival, the cancellation came within 14 days, and the disruption was the airline’s fault rather than bad weather or air traffic control issues.
• Arrival is timed when at least one aircraft door opens, so eligibility depends on when you reach the destination rather than the departure time.
• Payouts are fixed by distance and delay, ranging from £220 for short‑haul delays of three hours to £520 for long‑haul delays of four hours or more.
• Cancelled flights should come with a reroute or a refund, with compensation of up to £520 also possible when the airline is responsible.
• An MSE reader reported £520 per person from British Airways after a delayed flight, and EU ministers have backed proposals to raise future delay thresholds pending European Parliament approval.