UK law gives passengers strong protections when flights go wrong. Here’s everything you need to know about your rights under UK261 — explained clearly, without the legal jargon.
Whether you’re flying within the UK, departing from a UK airport, or arriving into the UK on a UK- or EU-based airline, the law is on your side. Here’s what you may be entitled to when things go wrong.
Up to £520 per passenger for delays, cancellations, or denied boarding — depending on flight distance.
If your flight is cancelled or you’re denied boarding, you can choose between a full refund or an alternative flight to your destination.
Airlines must provide meals and drinks while you wait, if your disruption lasts two or more hours.
If you’re stuck overnight, your airline must arrange and pay for a hotel, plus transfers to and from the airport.
Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage may be covered under the Montreal Convention, regardless of airline or route.
Under the statute of limitations in England and Wales, you can claim for disrupted flights up to 6 years ago, and 5 years for Scotland.
Your rights depend on where your flight departs from and which airline operates it. For passengers flying to, from, or within the UK, these are the key pieces of legislation.
Following Brexit, the EU’s passenger rights regulation was incorporated directly into UK law. This is widely known as “UK 261” and it protects passengers on:
The legislation covers flight delays of 3+ hours, cancellations with less than 14 days’ notice, denied boarding, and missed connections caused by the airline. Financial compensation is dictated in GBP, up to £520 depending on distance. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) oversees compliance in the UK.
The Montreal Convention is an international treaty that applies to almost all international flights. It primarily covers:
Which regulation applies to your flight? In some situations, both UK and EU law may provide protection — we’ll always consider which gives you the stronger claim. If you’re unsure, get in touch and we’ll help you work it out.
UK law includes an important exception: airlines are not required to pay if a disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances — events genuinely outside the airline’s control.
Storms, fog, or ice conditions that make safe flight operations impossible and affect the airport or airspace.
Industrial action by air traffic control staff — but not strikes by the airline’s own employees.
Unexpected security threats or airport closures that are beyond the airline’s reasonable control.
Technical faults are usually not extraordinary circumstances. A hidden manufacturing defect that could not have been detected may qualify, but routine maintenance issues or known faults generally do not. Courts have consistently found that airlines cannot use technical problems as a blanket defence to avoid UK261 payouts.
We have tailored pages for the companies we deal with most below: