Know Your Rights as an Air Passenger
EU Regulation 261/2004 gives you powerful rights when your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked. Here's everything you need to know, in plain English.
When Can You Claim?
EU261 applies to a wide range of flight disruptions. Here's what qualifies.
Long Delays
If your flight arrives at your destination 3 or more hours late, you may be entitled to compensation — regardless of whether the airline warned you in advance.
Cancellations
If your flight is cancelled and you were not given at least 14 days' notice, you are likely entitled to compensation plus a full refund or alternative flight.
Denied Boarding
If you were bumped off your flight due to overbooking or operational reasons — and you did not voluntarily give up your seat — you are entitled to compensation.
How Much Compensation Can You Claim?
The amount depends on the distance of your flight. These are the fixed amounts set by EU law.
Examples: London to Amsterdam, Dublin to Paris, Madrid to Lisbon
Examples: London to Athens, Manchester to Tenerife, Paris to Cairo
Examples: London to New York, Amsterdam to Dubai, Paris to Bangkok
Your Right to Care
While you wait for a delayed or rescheduled flight, the airline must look after you — regardless of whether you're entitled to compensation.
Meals & Refreshments
For delays of 2 hours or more, the airline must provide meals and refreshments proportionate to the waiting time, or vouchers to cover them.
Communication
You are entitled to two free phone calls, emails, or faxes so you can inform people of your delay.
Hotel & Transport
If you are delayed overnight, the airline must provide hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and hotel at no cost to you.
Rebooking or Refund
For cancellations, you can choose between a full refund of your ticket, rebooking on the next available flight, or rebooking at a later date that suits you.
When You Cannot Claim
Airlines can avoid paying compensation if the disruption was caused by 'extraordinary circumstances' — events outside their control.
Extraordinary circumstances
These are situations the airline genuinely could not have prevented, even if they had taken all reasonable measures.
- Severe weather (storms, heavy snow, fog)
- Air traffic control restrictions
- Airport security incidents
- Political instability or civil unrest
- External strikes (air traffic controllers, airport staff)
- Bird strikes or hidden manufacturing defects
What is NOT an extraordinary circumstance
These do not count as extraordinary circumstances — you can still claim:
- Technical problems with the aircraft (unless caused by a hidden defect)
- Airline staff strikes
- Understaffing or scheduling issues
- Commercial decisions (e.g. low passenger numbers)
How to Make a Claim
The process is straightforward. Here's how it works when you claim through us.
Submit Your Details
Fill in our simple complaint form with your flight details, booking reference, and what happened. It takes less than 5 minutes.
We Assess Your Claim
Our team reviews your case against EU261 rules and checks whether extraordinary circumstances apply. We'll confirm if you have a valid claim.
We Contact the Airline
We write to the airline on your behalf, citing the relevant legislation and demanding the compensation you're owed.
You Get Paid
Once the airline agrees to pay, the compensation is transferred directly to you. No win, no fee — we only charge if we succeed.
Time Limits for Making a Claim
Don't leave it too late — time limits vary by country.
EU261 does not set a single time limit for claims. Instead, each EU member state applies its own national limitation period. Here are the most common ones for UK and European travellers.
| Country | Time Limit |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 6 years |
| Germany | 3 years |
| France | 5 years |
| Spain | 5 years |
| Netherlands | 2 years |
| Ireland | 6 years |
Even if your flight was years ago, it's worth checking. Submit your details and we'll let you know if your claim is still valid.
Think You Have a Valid Claim?
Submit your details in minutes and let us handle the rest. No win, no fee.