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Cathay Pacific flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your Cathay Pacific flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Hong Kong airline: UK261 covers its flights departing UK airports (e.g. Heathrow–Hong Kong) and EU261 its flights departing EU airports. Flights from Hong Kong to the UK or EU are not covered by either.

IATA code
CX
Headquarters
Hong Kong (Cathay City)
Hub
Hong Kong (HKG)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

Cathay Pacific flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific routes: London Heathrow–Hong Kong, Manchester–Hong Kong, Hong Kong–Sydney.

Cathay Pacific flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific in the UK in 2025?

Cathay Pacific operated 4,236 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.72% were 3 hours or more late and 1.05% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
4,236

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
71.9%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.72%

1 in 139 flights · worse than the UK average

Cancelled
1.05%

45 flights · close to the UK average

Average delay
16.6 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 Heathrow3,58871.5%0.66%1.02%
Manchester64874.1%1.07%1.22%

What to know when claiming from Cathay Pacific

  • Claim compensation through Cathay's online feedback form (Contact us → Complaints, compliments and suggestions). Expenses have a separate ‘Flight delay and cancellation expenses claim form’, and refunds a separate online refund form.
  • London–Hong Kong is over 3,500 km: a flight from the UK that arrives 4 hours or more late gives £520 per passenger, or £260 for 3–4 hours.
  • If Cathay rejects the claim or has not replied within 8 weeks, you can refer it to CEDR (Cathay is listed as a member by the CAA). Check CEDR's current rules on fees before applying.

About Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific was founded in Hong Kong in 1946 and is based at Cathay City by Hong Kong International Airport, its hub. It is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance and connects Europe with Asia and Australia via Hong Kong.

From the UK it flies to Hong Kong from London Heathrow and Manchester – more than 4,200 flights at UK airports in the CAA's 2025 figures.

Unusually for a non-European airline, Cathay Pacific is a member of CEDR, one of the two CAA-approved dispute schemes for airlines – so UK passengers have a route to independent adjudication if Cathay rejects a valid claim for a flight from the UK.

How to claim directly from Cathay Pacific

  • Official online form: cathaypacific.com
  • Use the feedback form for compensation; expenses have a separate ‘Flight delay and cancellation expenses claim form’ (cathaypacific.com/disruptionclaim). UK ADR: CEDR member.
  • 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_GB/contact-us/complaints-and-suggestions.html), 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 Cathay Pacific 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.

Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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. Cathay Pacific – official claim / complaints page – Cathay Pacific
  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.