British Airways · EU261 · UK261 · APPR

British Airways delay & cancellation compensation

British AirwaysArrived 3+ hours late, cancelled at short notice or bumped? Here’s what the law says British Airways owes you.

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You could be owed

€600

per passenger, set by law

British Airways compensation calculator

British Airways compensation calculator

At a glance

Which rules cover British Airways

  • ●British Airways is based in United Kingdom, so EU261 covers its flights departing the EU (98 EU/EEA/Swiss airports in its network), not its flights into the EU.
  • ●As a UK airline, UK261 covers its flights from the UK and its flights into the UK.
  • ●Canada’s APPR covers its flights to, from and within Canada (3 Canadian airports).
Based in
United Kingdom
EU/EEA/Swiss airports
98
UK airports
12
Canadian airports
3

Set by law

British Airways compensation amounts

EU261

EU Regulation 261/2004

  • Up to 1,500 km€250
  • Intra-EU over 1,500 km, or 1,500–3,500 km€400
  • Over 3,500 km€600

Covers flights departing the EU (any airline), and flights into the EU on an EU airline. Source: Your Europe (European Union): air passenger rights.

UK261

UK Regulation 261/2004 (UK261)

  • Up to 1,500 km£220
  • 1,500–3,500 km£350
  • Over 3,500 km£520

Covers flights departing the UK (any airline), and flights into the UK on a UK or EU airline. Source: UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 7 (legislation.gov.uk).

APPR

Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations

  • Large airline, 3–6 h lateC$400
  • Large airline, 6–9 h lateC$700
  • Large airline, 9 h+ lateC$1,000

Covers flights to, from and within Canada, on any airline. Source: Canadian Transportation Agency: Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

Hour by hour

What British Airways owes you, and when

  1. 2 h late

    1. Care starts

    Meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are delayed overnight (from 2 hours on short flights, 3–4 hours on longer ones).

  2. 3 h late

    2. Cash compensation

    Arrive 3 hours or more late for a reason within the airline’s control and you can claim a fixed amount per passenger.

  3. 5 h late

    3. Refund option

    Delayed 5 hours or more and no longer want to travel? You can ask for a refund and, if needed, a flight back to where you started.

Who pays

When British Airways has to pay, and when it doesn’t

British Airways usually has to pay for

  • ✓Most technical problems with the aircraft
  • ✓Strikes by the airline’s own staff
  • ✓Overbooking (denied boarding)

Extraordinary circumstances (no cash)

  • Bad weather that makes flying unsafe
  • Air traffic control restrictions and decisions
  • Security risks and political instability
  • Strikes by staff outside the airline (for example, air traffic controllers)

Even then, the airline still owes you care (food, drinks, a hotel if needed) and a refund or rerouting for cancellations.

Two ways

How to claim from British Airways

Free, do it yourself

Claim directly with British Airways

  1. 1. Keep your boarding pass, booking reference and any receipts.
  2. 2. Ask staff in writing what caused the delay or cancellation.
  3. 3. Use British Airways’s complaint or claim form on its website.
  4. 4. No answer in 2 months, or a refusal you disagree with? Complain to the national enforcement body, or use dispute resolution or small claims.

No win, no fee

Let a claims company handle it

  • They check eligibility for free and chase British Airways for you, including in court.
  • They keep a share of the payout only if they win: check their fee before you start.
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Good to know

British Airways compensation: questions

How much compensation can I get from British Airways?+

EU261: €250, €400, €600; UK261: £220, £350, £520; APPR: C$400, C$700, C$1,000, per passenger, depending on distance (or, under APPR, how late you arrive).

Does EU261 apply to British Airways?+

Only on flights departing an EU/EEA/Swiss airport. British Airways is based in United Kingdom, so its flights into the EU are not covered by EU261.

Can I claim if my British Airways flight was cancelled?+

Usually, if you were told less than 14 days before departure and the cause was within the airline’s control, unless you were rerouted close to your original times. You can also choose a refund or rerouting.

How do I claim compensation from British Airways?+

Claim free through British Airways’s complaint or claim form on its website, keeping your boarding pass and booking reference. If it refuses or doesn’t answer within 2 months, go to the national enforcement body, or use a no-win, no-fee service such as AirHelp.

What if British Airways says it was extraordinary circumstances?+

Bad weather, air traffic control decisions and security risks are genuine exceptions. Most technical faults and strikes by the airline’s own staff are not, so ask for the reason in writing and challenge a refusal you think is wrong.

Rules and amounts from the official sources: Your Europe (European Union): air passenger rights; UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 7 (legislation.gov.uk); Canadian Transportation Agency: Air Passenger Protection Regulations. British Airways’s airports from Wikipedia’s destination list; home country from Wikidata. Distances are straight-line. General information, not legal advice. AirConnect may earn a commission if you claim through our links, at no extra cost to you.