What to Do if Your Flight is Delayed (And How to Get Compensation!)

If you’re reading this, chances are your travel plans have been interrupted and you’re wondering what to do if your flight is delayed (specifically, how to get the compensation you’re entitled to!). 

Sitting in an airport watching your departure time tick further and further into the distance is one of the most frustrating travel experiences there is, and whether you’re at home or abroad, a delayed flight can be stressful, expensive, and massively inconvenient.

The good news? As a UK passenger, you have solid legal protections in place, and in many cases you are entitled to flight delay compensation on top of whatever care the airline is obligated to provide. Here’s everything you need to know.

What to Do if Your Flight is Delayed (And How to Get Compensation!)

Step One: Know Your Rights Under UK261

After Brexit, the UK retained EU flight compensation rules under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. These are now known as UK261, and they give passengers the same core protections as before.

Under UK261, you may be entitled to compensation if:

• Your flight departed from a UK airport on any airline
• Your flight arrived at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline
• Your flight arrived at its destination three or more hours late

The compensation amounts are fixed:

It’s worth noting that this compensation is per passenger and is entirely separate from the price you paid for your ticket.

READ | 8 Long-Haul Flight Tips for Better In-Flight Wellness

What counts as an extraordinary circumstance?

Airlines do not have to pay compensation if the delay was caused by something outside their control. This is known as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and includes things like severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or airport security issues. 

If you’re unsure whether your delay qualifies, it is always worth making a claim. The airline is required to explain the reason for the disruption, and if they reject you, you can escalate.

What the Airline Must Provide While You Wait

Your airline has a legal obligation to look after you during a delay. This is completely separate from compensation, and includes things like food, drink, and accommodation. This kicks in after:

• 2 hours for short-haul flights (under 1,500 km)
• 3 hours for medium-haul flights
• 4 hours for long-haul flights

This includes meals and refreshments (or vouchers to cover them), access to communication such as phone or email, and hotel accommodation plus transport if you are delayed overnight. When I missed a connecting flight in Ukraine due to my first flight being delayed, the staff sorted me out with an airport hotel and breakfast – all I had to do was visit the customer support desk with my fellow delayed passengers, and we were all looked after.

Important: If the airline doesn’t automatically provide vouchers, ask a member of staff. If they still cannot arrange care, keep your receipts for reasonable expenses and claim them back.

If your delay extends to five or more hours and you no longer want to travel, you are entitled to a full cash refund. Do not let the airline push you into accepting a voucher instead – vouchers are only binding if you actively agree to them.

How to Claim Compensation

Compensation is not paid automatically, and most people who are entitled to compensation never actually receive it, purely because they don’t know how to go about getting it! 

I’ve successfully received compensation twice due to cancelled flights, and in this next section, I’m going to walk you through the exact steps I took. 

There are two main ways to go about getting compensation for delayed or cancelled flights.

Option 1: Claim Directly From the Airline

Most airlines have an online claims process, and this is always the first step regardless of which route you take. You’ll typically need:

• Your bank details for the payout
• Your flight details (flight number, date, route)
• Evidence of the delay (boarding passes, booking confirmation)

Pros of going direct

• You keep 100% of the compensation
• It can be straightforward if the airline plays ball
• No third-party fees

Cons of going direct

• Airlines can be slow, dismissive, or use confusing language to put you off
• If they reject your claim, you need to escalate it yourself
• Chasing up your claim takes time and persistence

If the airline fails to respond within eight weeks or rejects your claim and you believe they are wrong, you can escalate to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme or the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Personally, I’ve gone this route twice, and the experiences couldn’t have been more different. 

The first time, Wizz Air had cancelled my flight. I called the airline directly, and the woman I spoke to booked me onto an alternative flight immediately. I then went through their online claims process and received £175 within two weeks of making the claim. 

The second time, I had a flight cancelled by Ryanair, and the process was much more painful.

 

It took over 12 months to get any compensation, due to the fact that Ryanair kept ignoring my support tickets (I later discovered that they had been marking them as ‘solved’ without ever even responding to me). Not only was this extremely frustrating, but it took threatening to escalate the situation to the CAA for them to ever address the problem, and the time I spent writing to their support team is time that I can never get back.

As you can see, claiming directly from the airline can go one of two ways, and it’s really down to the luck of the draw which way it’s going to go for you. 

Option 2: Use a Claims Service

If you want flight delay compensation but don’t want the hassle of dealing with the airline yourself (or if your claim has already been rejected), a specialist service like AirHelp can handle the entire process on your behalf. They assess your eligibility, file the claim, and chase the airline so you don’t have to (I could have really benefited from a service like this over the 12 month Ryanair saga!).

Pros of using a claims service

• No upfront cost (they work on a no-win, no-fee basis)
• They handle the paperwork, follow-ups, and any disputes
• Useful if the airline has already rejected your claim
• They know the regulations inside out and are harder to fob off

Cons of using a claims service

• They take a percentage of your compensation (typically around 35%)
• You receive less money than you would by claiming yourself
• The process can still take months, even with professional help

Which Option is Right for You?

Based on my experience, I would always advise attempting to go the direct route first. Chances are, your claim will be resolved without any trouble, and you’ll get to keep the full amount of your compensation. 

However, if the airline is being difficult (or unresponsive), or if you simply don’t have the time or energy to deal with it, a service like AirHelp is a reasonable option. 

Receiving 65% of your entitled compensation is still better than nothing, and I would have gladly sacrificed a bit of my compensation in order to avoid the exhausting back-and-forth that I had to go through with Ryanair. 

I would also recommend using one of these services if your situation is a bit more complicated (such as a multi-leg journey or a long-haul flight with disputed responsibility). 

Don’t Forget the Six-Year Window

You have up to six years from the date of your delayed flight to make a claim in the UK. The period runs from the end of the calendar year in which the delay occurred. So if your flight was disrupted in January 2025, you have until the end of 2031 to pursue it. That said, the sooner you act, the easier it is to gather evidence and recall the details accurately.

Quick Checklist: What to Do at the Airport

1. Screenshot or photograph the departure board showing the delay
2. Keep all boarding passes and booking confirmations
3. Ask airline staff for written confirmation of the reason for the delay if possible
4. Keep receipts for any food, drink, or accommodation you pay for out of pocket
5. Note the time you actually arrive at your destination (gate arrival, not just landing)
6. Check UK261 eligibility before assuming you are not covered

Final Thoughts

Overall, a delayed flight is never ideal, but it doesn’t have to cost you anything. By knowing your rights, documenting everything, and not being afraid to push back if the airline tries to dismiss your claim, you can’t go wrong. 

That’s all for today’s post, but as always, if you have any questions then leave them in the comments section below and I will get back to you! 

Until next time, 

XOXO

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