Check compensationCheck

British Airways flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your British Airways flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? British Airways is a UK airline: UK261 covers its flights departing the UK and its flights into the UK, and EU Regulation 261/2004 its flights departing the EU. 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 British Airways 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 British airline: its flights departing the EU (e.g. Paris, Madrid or Rome to London) are covered by EU261, flights departing London by the British UK261 – the two rules are practically identical in content and amounts.

IATA code
BA
Headquarters
London (Waterside)
Hub
London Heathrow (LHR)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

British Airways flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your British Airways 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 British Airways routes: London Heathrow–New York JFK, London Heathrow–Dubai, London Heathrow–Singapore, London Heathrow–Madrid, London Heathrow–Budapest.

British Airways flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, British Airways 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 British Airways 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 British Airways 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 British Airways in the UK in 2025?

British Airways operated 351,049 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.37% were 3 hours or more late and 1.23% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
351,049

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
76.7%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.37%

1 in 270 flights · better than the UK average

Cancelled
1.23%

4,370 flights · worse than the UK average

Average delay
12.6 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 Heathrow240,78277.6%0.34%1.26%
London Gatwick33,98166.2%0.87%0.79%
London City29,48277.1%0.26%1.11%
Edinburgh12,30678.3%0.21%1.51%
Glasgow10,61381.9%0.14%1.48%
Belfast City (George Best)6,08683.4%0.23%1.28%
Manchester5,11874.0%0.19%1.12%
Aberdeen4,69881.5%0.25%2.37%
Newcastle3,75678.9%0.34%1.44%
Jersey3,68380.8%0.46%0.67%

What to know when claiming from British Airways

  • BA often tries to compensate with a voucher (eVoucher): you do not have to accept it – EU261/UK261 require compensation in money.
  • With a missed connection at Heathrow, compensation is based on the distance of the whole journey (e.g. Rome–New York via London): €600.

About British Airways

British Airways is the UK's flag carrier and the largest operator at Heathrow. It flies from Heathrow to most European capitals, and many travellers from the continent connect there to flights to the Americas, Asia and Africa.

A recurring problem at BA is the short connection times at Heathrow and the IT outages (2017, 2019, 2022, 2024) that cancelled thousands of flights. These fall within the airline's own responsibility, so compensation is due.

How to claim directly from British Airways

  • Official online form: britishairways.com
  • Postal address: British Airways Customer Relations, EU Compensation Claims, PO Box 1126, Uxbridge, UB8 9XS, United Kingdom
  • The online Feedback and Claims portal is faster. To claim for other passengers you need a signed letter of authority from each of them. UK ADR: CEDR (refer within 12 months of BA’s final response).
  • 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 British Airways 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 British Airways?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.britishairways.com/travel/feedbackclaims/public/en_gb), 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 British Airways 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.

British Airways 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 British Airways 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. British Airways – official claim / complaints page – British Airways
  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.