UK261 After Brexit: Flight Compensation in Pounds

When the UK left the European Union, it kept Regulation 261/2004 as part of domestic law, with changes to make it work outside the EU. The result, usually called UK261, gives passengers flying from UK airports, and into the UK on UK or EU airlines, almost the same rights as before — but with compensation expressed in pounds and with UK bodies handling enforcement. This guide explains the differences that matter.

Which flights are covered

UK261 covers:

• Flights departing from an airport in the UK, operated by any airline.
• Flights arriving in the UK from outside, operated by a UK or EU airline.

That second rule means an EU airline flying into the UK is covered by UK261, and if the flight departed from the EU it is covered by EU261 too. A UK airline flying into the EU from outside the EU is not an EU carrier for EU261, so EU coverage applies to it only on departures from the EU. Passengers cannot be paid twice for the same disruption.

How much

The CAA publishes the amounts. For a delay of three hours or more at arrival, a cancellation at short notice or denied boarding, you can claim £220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and £520 for flights over 3,500 km. Long-haul flights over 3,500 km that arrive between three and four hours late pay £260. The amounts are fixed by law in pounds, so they do not move with exchange rates.

Delays and cancellations work the same way

The UK courts and the CAA continue to apply the Court of Justice judgments made before Brexit, including Sturgeon on long delays. A delay therefore counts if you arrive at the final destination three hours or more late, measured to when the doors open. For cancellations, the 14-day and 7-day notice rules apply: with 7 to 14 days' notice, the CAA explains that you may still get half the amount if the replacement flight gets you there within two, three or four hours, depending on distance.

Extraordinary circumstances

The same defence applies. Bad weather, air traffic control restrictions, security alerts and political unrest typically count; most technical faults and staff problems at the airline do not. The UK Supreme Court refused permission to appeal in Jet2.com v Huzar in 2014, leaving in place the Court of Appeal ruling that routine technical problems are not extraordinary. Post-Brexit UK courts can depart from EU case law in some circumstances, but on these core questions the established position still holds.

Care and assistance

While you wait, the airline must provide food and drink in proportion to the wait, a means of communication and, if you need to stay overnight, a hotel and transport to it. The CAA notes that if the airline cannot provide care, you should keep receipts and claim reasonable costs back. Reasonable means what you would have spent anyway on a meal, not a champagne dinner.

Refunds and re-routing

If your flight is cancelled, you can choose a refund or a replacement flight. If a delay reaches five hours and you decide not to travel, you can get a refund of the ticket and, where relevant, a flight back to your starting point. The CAA says refunds should be made within seven days.

How to claim

Claim from the airline first. Most UK airlines have an online claim form. If the airline rejects your claim or does not reply within eight weeks, your next step depends on whether the airline is a member of an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. Most large airlines are; the scheme reviews your complaint for free and its decision is binding on the airline if you accept it. If the airline is not in a scheme, the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) can look at your complaint. You can also go to the small claims track of the county court (or simple procedure in Scotland).

Time limits

Neither the regulation nor the UK version sets a deadline. The CAA explains that in England and Wales you have up to six years to take a claim to court, and in Scotland five years. That does not mean you should wait: evidence gets harder to obtain, and airlines' internal policies may encourage prompt claims.

Examples

• Manchester to Malaga, arrives 3h20m late, technical fault: about 1,700 km, so £350 per passenger.
• Glasgow to London, cancelled two days before, no replacement until next day: under 1,500 km, £220.
• London to Singapore, arrives 3h30m late: over 3,500 km, £260 because the delay is under four hours.
• Dubai to London on a Gulf airline, 6 hours late: not covered by UK261, because a non-UK, non-EU carrier operated a flight into the UK.

Domestic UK flights

Flights within the UK — London to Edinburgh, Belfast to Bristol — are covered because they depart from a UK airport. Most are under 1,500 km, so £220 is the usual amount. Ferry-linked or rail-linked alternatives offered after a cancellation count as re-routing if they reasonably get you to your destination, but they do not erase compensation where the notice and arrival-time conditions are not met.

Keeping records for the ADR stage

ADR schemes decide on documents. Send them your booking confirmation, the airline's response, the time you arrived and any evidence about the cause of the delay. A clear timeline — scheduled departure, actual departure, scheduled arrival, door-open time — makes the reviewer's job easier and speeds up a decision.

UK261 versus EU261

	UK261	EU261
Short flights	£220	€250
Medium flights	£350	€400
Long flights	£520	€600
Regulator	Civil Aviation Authority	National enforcement bodies
Court time limit	6 years (E&W), 5 (Scotland)	Set by each country's law

If both apply — for example on an EU airline flying Paris to London — pick the one that is easier to enforce for you. UK residents often prefer UK261 because UK ADR and the county court are accessible.

Tools

Use the calculator with the airline set to "United Kingdom" to see UK261 amounts, and the letter generator with UK261 selected.