As the summer holiday season approaches, travellers are eagerly planning their getaways. However, with the increase in travel comes the heightened risk of flight delays and cancellations. It's essential for UK travellers to understand their rights regarding flight compensation to ensure a smooth and stress-free holiday experience.
Catrin Le Rendu, a UK solicitor at the leading Nordic legal tech company Aatos, shares tips on when you are entitled to compensation from airlines and what you can expect to receive.
Even after Brexit, UK passengers are afforded the same protections given to EU passengers under EU Regulation 261/2004, as a result of the UK’s own UK261 regulation. This means that passengers flying from a UK or EU airport, or on a UK or EU airline, are entitled to compensation for delays, cancellations, or involuntary denied boarding.
“For UK passengers, the law applies if your flight is delayed by more than three hours, less than 14 days before departure or you are denied boarding due to overbooking,” Le Rendu explains.
The compensation amount varies based on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay:
Flight Distance | Compensation Amount* |
---|---|
Up to 1,500 km | £220 |
Between 1,500 km and 3,500 km | £350 |
Over 3,500 km | £520 |
*Amount based on UK261
If the flight is late or cancelled, passengers are generally also entitled to:
- Meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time
- Accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary
- Transport between the airport and the accommodation
- Two free telephone calls, emails, or faxes
“Compensation is not applicable if the delay or cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control, such as severe weather, political instability, or strikes. Additionally, if you arrive at the airport too late and the gates have already closed, you are not entitled to compensation,” Le Rendu says.
If an airline places a passenger in a lower class than the one originally booked, it must provide a discount of 30%-75% within seven days, depending on the flight distance.
"The passengers are also entitled to financial compensation if they miss a connecting flight due to the delay and the flights are part of a single reservation,” Le Rendu says.
Read more about Flight Delay Compensation
Contact
Catrin Le Rendu
UK Solicitor
catrin@aatos.app
Mariia Kukkakorpi
Communications Manager
mariia@aatos.app
Aatos is a leading digital legal service in the Nordics providing comprehensive, affordable legal solutions across Finland, Sweden, Denmark, as well as England and Wales. Aatos specialises in personal legal documents and advice, making legal services accessible and understandable for everyone. Aatos’s services include e.g. drafting Last Wills, Prenups and Lasting Power of Attorneys.