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Air China flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your Air China flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? Air China is not an EU or UK airline, so EU261 and UK261 apply only to its flights departing the EU or the UK. Here is what to expect and what to do.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: Reading time: 8 min How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: On Air China flights departing the EU you are entitled to €250–600 compensation for an arrival delay of more than 3 hours, a cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure, or involuntary denied boarding – unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. A Chinese airline: UK261 covers its flights departing UK airports (e.g. Heathrow–Beijing) and EU261 its flights departing EU airports. Flights from China to the UK or EU are not covered by either.

IATA code
CA
Headquarters
Beijing (Shunyi)
Hub
Beijing Capital (PEK), Beijing Daxing (PKX), Chengdu (CTU/TFU)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

Air China flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your Air China flight reached its final destination at least 3 hours late (counting from when the doors opened), and the cause was within the airline's control – a technical fault, staff shortage, a delay on the previous flight, a strike by its own staff – you are entitled to compensation. It is not due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances (weather, an air traffic control strike, an airport closure). Read the full conditions here.

Typical Air China routes: London Heathrow–Beijing Capital, London Heathrow–Chengdu Tianfu, London Gatwick–Beijing Capital, London Gatwick–Shanghai Pudong.

Air China flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, Air China must offer you a refund of the ticket price (within 7 days) or re-routing on the earliest available flight – including another airline's, if that is quicker. If you were told about the cancellation less than 14 days before departure and the re-routing offered differed significantly from the original flight, you are also entitled to compensation. More on the 14-day rule.

How much compensation for a Air China flight?

Flight distanceDelay on arrivalCompensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
e.g. London–Paris, Berlin–Rome, Dublin–Amsterdamover 3 hours€250UK261: £220
1,500–3,500 km, and every flight within the EU over 1,500 km
e.g. London–Athens, Frankfurt–Tenerife, Rome–Tel Avivover 3 hours€400UK261: £350
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EU
e.g. London–New York, Frankfurt–Dubai, Paris–Bangkokbetween 3 and 4 hours€300UK261: £260 (reduced by 50%)
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EUover 4 hours€600UK261: £520

Check your Air China flight

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

How punctual was Air China in the UK in 2025?

Air China operated 2,944 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.54% were 3 hours or more late and 0.27% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
2,944

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
81.2%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.54%

1 in 185 flights · close to the UK average

Cancelled
0.27%

8 flights · better than the UK average

Average delay
10.6 min

UK average 15.1 min

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics 2025 – departures and arrivals combined, measured against the schedule at the UK airport. How we use this data

UK airportFlightsOn time3 h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow1,73881.3%0.40%0.29%
London Gatwick1,20681.0%0.74%0.25%

What to know when claiming from Air China

  • Air China's UK ‘Passenger Feedback’ page gives no online form: complaints go by e-mail to customer_relations@airchina.com or by post to its Customer Relationship Center in Beijing. Air China asks you to write in Chinese or English.
  • Air China offers a delay or cancellation certificate on its UK website – useful evidence for your claim.
  • Air China is not in a CAA-approved ADR scheme. For flights from the UK, unresolved complaints can go to the CAA's PACT.

About Air China

Air China Limited is China's flag carrier, formed on 1 July 1988 when the national aviation administration CAAC was split into separate airlines. It is based in Beijing, with hubs at both Beijing airports and in Chengdu, and has been a member of Star Alliance since December 2007. Its fleet includes Airbus A350s, Boeing 747-8s, 777-300ERs and 787-9s.

In the UK it flies from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. In the CAA's 2025 figures Air China operated 2,944 flights at UK airports, with 81.2% on time and 0.54% arriving 3 hours or more late.

Air China's own published delay-compensation scheme (RMB 200–400 for long delays) is separate from UK261 and EU261. For a flight departing the UK, UK261 applies whatever the airline's own rules say: London–Beijing is over 8,000 km, so an arrival 4 hours or more late gives £520 per passenger (£260 for 3–4 hours).

How to claim directly from Air China

  • Official online form: airchina.co.uk
  • E-mail: customer_relations@airchina.com
  • Postal address: Customer Relationship Center, Product Service Department, Air China Limited, Suite 4004, 4th Floor, No. 16 Tianzhu West Road, Tianzhu Airport Economic Development Zone, Beijing 101312, China
  • Air China’s UK ‘Passenger Feedback’ page has no form: complaints go by e-mail or post, in Chinese or English. (The Chinese-language web form at airchina.com.cn/contact/feedback needs a mobile number and SMS code.) Not in a CAA-listed UK ADR scheme.
  • Our complaint letter generator writes the letter for you – filled in, as a printable PDF.

We checked these claim channels on the airline's own website (10 November 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to compensation if my Air China flight was at least 3 hours late?

Yes, if the flight departed from an EU airport and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on the distance: €250, €400 or €600.

How do I submit a claim to Air China?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.airchina.co.uk/GB/GB/contact-us/passenger-feedbak/), or through our partner AirHelp, which checks the flight data and, if the airline rejects the claim, takes the case to the enforcement body or to court – for a fee of 35% only if it succeeds.

How long do I have to claim for a Air China flight?

Limitation periods vary by country and are set by national law – for example 6 years in England & Wales, 5 years in Scotland and Hungary, and 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year). AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old.

Air China offered me a voucher instead of compensation. Do I have to accept it?

No. Under the Regulation, compensation is paid in money; the airline may only give you a voucher with your written agreement. If you want money, do not accept it.

Flew with another airline?

The Air China name and trademark belong to their owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site with no connection to the airline. The content is for information only and is not legal advice. We receive a commission when a claim submitted through our partner links succeeds.

Sources

  1. Air China – official claim / complaints page – Air China
  2. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  4. Delays and cancellations – your rights – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.