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airBaltic flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your airBaltic flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? airBaltic is licensed in the EU, so EU Regulation 261/2004 applies to all its flights. 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 airBaltic flights on every route 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. You can usually claim for flights up to 3 years back.

IATA code
BT
Headquarters
Riga Airport (Mārupe)
Hub
Riga (RIX); secondary hubs Tallinn (TLL) and Vilnius (VNO)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
all flights

airBaltic flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your airBaltic 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 airBaltic routes: London Gatwick–Riga, London Gatwick–Tallinn, Manchester–Riga (resuming 13 December 2026).

airBaltic flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, airBaltic 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 airBaltic 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 airBaltic 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 airBaltic in the UK in 2025?

airBaltic operated 1,433 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.14% were 3 hours or more late and 0.07% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
1,433

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
73.2%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.14%

1 in 714 flights · better than the UK average

Cancelled
0.07%

1 flights · better than the UK average

Average delay
12.8 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

What to know when claiming from airBaltic

  • Claim on airBaltic's online claim form (airbaltic.com → Submit a claim). It asks for the booking reference – if you booked through another airline or an agent, use the reference labelled BT, 1A or the operating airline. To claim for someone else you need their signed authorisation form.
  • airBaltic's claims FAQ says sending documents later ‘significantly’ extends processing, so attach boarding passes, receipts and any delay confirmation at the start.
  • UK ADR is unclear: the CAA lists airBaltic under AviationADR and airBaltic's own ADR page names Consumer Dispute Resolution Ltd (the company behind AviationADR) for the UK, but AviationADR's own member list does not show airBaltic. For flights from Latvia, the consumer rights centre PTAC is the enforcement body.
  • London Gatwick–Riga is about 1,700 km, so a delay of 3 hours or more gives £350 from the UK or €400 from Riga.

Typical rejection reasons – and how to answer them

  • ‘Aircraft unavailable because of engine inspections’ – a fleet shortage the airline has known about for months is a planning issue; ask exactly what caused your flight's disruption. A hidden manufacturing defect announced by the manufacturer or the authorities can be extraordinary (CJEU C-549/07), so ask which applies.

About airBaltic

airBaltic (AS ‘Air Baltic Corporation’) was founded on 28 August 1995 and is Latvia's flag carrier, with its hub at Riga and secondary hubs in Tallinn and Vilnius. The Latvian state owns about 88% and the Lufthansa Group 10% – a stake agreed in January 2025. It flies only the Airbus A220-300 and has the world's largest fleet of the type.

Engine problems hit the airline hard: issues with the Pratt & Whitney engines of its A220s led to about 4,670 cancelled flights in 2025. On 14 September 2026 airBaltic filed for Chapter 11 protection in the US Bankruptcy Court in New York; it said flights, bookings and customer service would continue as normal and announced €350 million of new financing.

From the UK it flies London Gatwick to Riga and Tallinn – 1,433 flights at UK airports in the CAA's 2025 figures, only 0.14% of them 3 hours or more late – and Manchester–Riga resumes on 13 December 2026. As an EU airline, airBaltic is covered by EU261 on every flight, in both directions.

How to claim directly from airBaltic

  • Official online form: airbaltic.com
  • The form asks for a booking reference (if booked elsewhere, the one labelled BT, 1A or the operating airline); to claim for someone else you need their signed authorisation form. airBaltic has been in US Chapter 11 since 14 Sept 2026 but says customer service continues. UK ADR – sources conflict: the CAA lists airBaltic under AviationADR and airBaltic’s own ADR page names Consumer Dispute Resolution Ltd (AviationADR) for the UK, but AviationADR’s own member list does not show it. Check with AviationADR before applying. Latvian enforcement body: PTAC.
  • 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 airBaltic flight was at least 3 hours late?

Yes, if the flight departed from anywhere (it is an EU airline) 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 airBaltic?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.airbaltic.com/en/submit-a-claim), 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 airBaltic 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.

airBaltic 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 airBaltic 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. airBaltic – official claim / complaints page – airBaltic
  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.