In short: once you have the airline’s final response, or 8 weeks have passed, fill in the airline’s ADR scheme form – AviationADR for easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, TUI Airways and others; CEDR for British Airways and Cathay Pacific – within 12 months of that final response. Use the five sections below: what happened, what you claimed, why you disagree, what you want, and the documents.
The template
Complaint against [airline’s name] – flight [flight number] on [date of flight]
Booking reference: [booking reference] · Airline’s claim reference: [airline’s reference] · Passengers: [full names]
1. What happened
Flight [flight number] from [departure airport] to [final destination] was scheduled to arrive at [scheduled arrival time] on [date]. It arrived at [actual arrival time], [number] hours late at my final destination. [Or: it was cancelled on [date], [number] days before departure, and the replacement flight arrived [number] hours late. / Or: I was denied boarding against my will.] The great-circle distance is [distance] km.
The reason given at the time was: [what the airline said at the airport or in its messages].
2. My claim to the airline
On [date of claim] I claimed compensation of [amount] per passenger under Article 7 of [UK261 / EU261] through [the airline’s online form / e-mail / letter]. [The airline rejected my claim on [date], saying [reason given]. / The airline has not resolved my claim within 8 weeks.]
3. Why I disagree
- [The airline has not provided any evidence of the cause of the [delay / cancellation], although it bears the burden of proving extraordinary circumstances under Article 5(3).]
- [The cause given is a technical fault. Technical problems arising in the normal operation of an aircraft are not extraordinary circumstances: Huzar v Jet2.com Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ 791; C-257/14 van der Lans v KLM.]
- [Other flights from [airport] operated at the time, which suggests that the weather / air traffic control did not prevent this flight: [evidence].]
- [Even if there was an extraordinary circumstance, the airline has not shown that it took all reasonable measures, for example to re-route me sooner.]
- [The delay was caused by staff shortages / an earlier delay of the same aircraft, which are within the airline’s control.]
4. What I want
Compensation of [amount] per passenger – [total amount] for [number] passengers – plus my expenses of [amount] for [meals / hotel / transport] (receipts attached), paid by bank transfer. I do not accept vouchers.
5. Documents attached
- Booking confirmation and boarding passes
- The airline’s messages about the [delay / cancellation]
- My claim and the airline’s reply [or proof that 8 weeks have passed]
- [Receipts]
- [Evidence of the actual arrival time / other flights operating]
I confirm that this information is true to the best of my knowledge and that I have not started court proceedings about this complaint.
[Your full name], [date]
Keep only the arguments in section 3 that fit your case, and delete the rest. Free, no registration. General information, not legal advice.
Where to send it
| Airline (CAA list, 10 November 2026) | Where to complain |
|---|---|
| easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, TUI Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Air France, Turkish Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Delta, Air Canada and others | AviationADR – online portal, post or phone |
| British Airways, BA CityFlyer, Cathay Pacific | CEDR – “Make a complaint” page |
| Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines | Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr (Germany) – online form |
| Airlines in no approved scheme (UK261 flights) | CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Team – online form |
| Flights to or from Northern Ireland | Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (or the airline’s ADR scheme) |
Most scheme forms ask for your details, the airline, the flight and a free-text description of the complaint, plus uploads. Paste sections 1–4 of the template into the description box and upload the documents listed in section 5 as separate files with clear names (for example “boarding-pass.pdf”, “airline-reply-12-09.pdf”). If the form limits the length of the text, keep sections 1, 3 and 4 and attach the rest as a document. For a family claim, list every passenger on the booking, because the award is per passenger.
Full lists and step-by-step processes: ADR schemes and CAA complaint. The airline’s final response letter should also name its scheme.
Deadlines
- Earliest: after the airline’s final response, or 8 weeks after your written complaint.
- Latest: within 12 months of the airline’s final response (or your last written communication if it never replied), for a flight within the last six years – five if you live in Scotland (CAA).
- CAA: it will not take a complaint if less than a year remains to take legal action.
How to make it convincing
- Answer the airline’s reason, not the airline. Adjudicators decide on the evidence. Quote the airline’s words and explain specifically why they do not meet the test the courts apply under Article 5(3) (since C-549/07 Wallentin-Hermann): an event not inherent in the normal activity of the airline and beyond its actual control, whose effects could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
- Ask for evidence. If the airline relies on weather or air traffic control, say what evidence is missing – for example records showing that this particular flight was restricted.
- Be precise with times. The delay is measured on arrival at the final destination, when at least one door is opened. Use the airline’s own times where possible, or flight-tracking data.
- Get the amount right. £220 / £350 / £520 or €250 / €400 / €600 by distance; for 3–4 hour delays over 3,500 km, half (£260 / €300). Check with our flight distance calculator.
- Keep it short. A clear page beats five pages of grievances. Leave out complaints about service or staff attitude that ADR cannot award money for.
Common airline replies and how to answer them
| The airline says | What to point out |
|---|---|
| “A technical problem caused the delay.” | Technical problems arising in the normal operation of an aircraft are not extraordinary (Huzar v Jet2; C-257/14 van der Lans). Only exceptional cases, such as a hidden manufacturing defect, qualify. |
| “Air traffic control restrictions.” | Ask for the restriction notice for this flight and the times. A restriction can be extraordinary, but the airline must show it caused this delay and that it took all reasonable measures. |
| “Bad weather.” | Ask which weather, where and when. If other flights operated normally from the same airport, say so. |
| “The aircraft was delayed on an earlier flight.” | A knock-on delay only counts if the earlier delay itself was extraordinary and the airline took reasonable measures. Ask what caused the first delay. |
| “Crew shortage” or “staff sickness”. | Staffing is part of running an airline. See our extraordinary circumstances guide. |
| “We offered you a voucher.” | Compensation is due in money; a voucher only with your signed agreement (Article 7(3)). |
The adjudicator does not need long legal arguments. What decides most cases is whether the airline has produced evidence for its reason. Point out clearly what is missing.
After the decision
At AviationADR you have 7 days to accept or reject the determination; at CEDR, six weeks. If you accept, the airline must comply (at CEDR within 20 working days). If you reject it, or the scheme finds against you and you still believe you are right, you can go to court: send a letter before action and follow the small claims court guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is ADR free?
The CAA describes the approved airline ADR schemes as free to use. AviationADR says it is free for passengers, and Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr says its procedure is free for consumers.
Can I send this to the CAA instead?
Yes, if the airline is not in an approved ADR scheme. The same structure works for the CAA’s online complaint form. See how to complain to the CAA.
Should I cite court cases?
Only where they fit your facts. Adjudicators know the main cases; one accurate reference is better than a list. For technical faults, Huzar v Jet2 and van der Lans v KLM are the usual ones. Our case law library explains what each judgment decided.
Can I add new evidence later?
At AviationADR, you get one chance to comment (21 days) if the airline challenges your complaint; after that the file is closed. Put everything relevant in at the start.
Sources
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Complaints process – AviationADR
- Aviation adjudication scheme – overview – CEDR
- Aviation – help and guides – CEDR
- How the CAA can help – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK, Article 5 – legislation.gov.uk
- C-257/14 van der Lans v KLM – Court of Justice of the EU
- C-549/07 Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia – Court of Justice of the EU
- C-452/13 Germanwings (arrival time = doors opened) – Court of Justice of the EU
We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.