← Back to Blog

How to Claim Flight Delay Compensation (UK): Your Rights Under UK261 — and the Demand Letter That Gets You Paid

A delayed or cancelled flight is not just an inconvenience — under UK law, it can be worth real money. Fixed compensation of up to £520 per passenger is available for qualifying delays and cancellations, regardless of how much you paid for your ticket. Most passengers never claim it, either because they do not know the right exists or because the airline's first response is a knockback. Here is how the rules actually work, and how to put an airline on notice in writing.

What Is UK261?

Before Brexit, air passenger rights across the UK and EU were governed by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. When the UK left the EU, this regulation was retained in UK domestic law in near-identical form — commonly referred to as "UK261" — and it is enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The compensation amounts, originally set in euros, were converted to fixed sterling figures for the UK regime.

Which Flights Are Covered?

UK261 applies to:

If your flight does not fall into one of these categories — for example, a foreign airline flying into the UK from outside the EU/EEA — UK261 will not apply, though other protections may.

Am I Eligible? The Three-Hour Rule

For delays, the key test is not how late your flight departed — it is how late you actually arrived at your final destination. You may be entitled to compensation if you arrive more than three hours after your originally scheduled arrival time, provided the delay was within the airline's control (see "extraordinary circumstances" below).

For cancellations, your right to compensation generally depends on how much notice you were given and the reason for the cancellation — cancellations announced less than 14 days before departure are more likely to trigger a compensation claim than those announced well in advance.

How Much Can You Claim?

Where a delay or cancellation qualifies, UK261 sets fixed compensation based on the distance of the flight — it does not matter what you paid for your ticket:

"Extraordinary Circumstances": When Airlines Do Not Have to Pay

The one defence an airline has against a compensation claim is extraordinary circumstances — events outside its control that it could not have avoided even if it had taken all reasonable measures. The CAA treats things like severe weather that affects flight safety and strikes unconnected to the airline (such as air traffic control, airport, or border force strikes) as genuine extraordinary circumstances.

What does not usually count: routine technical faults with the aircraft, and disruption caused by the airline's own staff — including strikes by its employees or crew shortages due to staff sickness. Airlines frequently cite "technical issues" to avoid paying out; do not accept that at face value without asking for specifics.

Crucially, even where extraordinary circumstances apply and compensation is not owed, you are still entitled to care and assistance (see below) — that right is separate from the compensation right and is not affected by the reason for the disruption.

Your Right to Care During a Delay

Regardless of the cause, once a delay passes certain thresholds the airline must look after you while you wait:

Once triggered, the airline must provide reasonable food and drink, a means of making calls or sending emails, and — if you are delayed overnight — hotel accommodation and transport to and from it. If you are delayed five hours or more, you can instead choose to abandon your journey and claim a refund. If the airline fails to arrange care on the spot, the CAA's position is that you can reasonably arrange it yourself and claim the cost back afterwards — so keep every receipt.

If Your Flight Is Cancelled: Refund or Re-routing — Your Choice

If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you a choice — and it is your choice, not theirs: a full refund for the parts of the journey not used, or re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity or at a later date that suits you, subject to seat availability. You are also entitled to the same care and assistance described above while you wait, and — depending on the notice given and the reason for the cancellation — you may separately be entitled to the fixed compensation figures set out above.

How to Claim

  1. Claim directly with the airline first. Use their official complaints process and keep a copy of everything you submit.
  2. Escalate if they refuse or go quiet. If the airline rejects your claim or does not respond within a reasonable time, most UK and EU airlines are signed up to a CAA-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme, which is free to use.
  3. Send a formal written demand. A clear letter that sets out the flight details, the delay or cancellation, the specific compensation figure you are claiming, and a firm deadline often gets a result that a phone call or web form does not — because it shows the airline you know exactly what you are entitled to and are prepared to escalate.

What Your Letter Should Say

A strong compensation demand letter should:

Time Limits — Do Not Leave It Too Late

You have longer than you might think. Claims under UK261 are generally treated as contract claims under the Limitation Act 1980, giving passengers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to six years from the date of the flight to bring a claim. In Scotland, under Scots limitation law, the period is five years. That said, evidence and airline records are easier to obtain the sooner you claim — do not sit on it unnecessarily.

Generate Your Flight Delay Compensation Letter in Seconds

WriteMyLegalLetter drafts a clear, professional demand letter that sets out your flight details, cites UK261, states the compensation you are owed, and gives the airline a firm deadline to pay. Answer a few questions and your letter is ready.

Write My Flight Delay Letter Now →