In short: the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) handles UK261 complaints about delays, cancellations, denied boarding and downgrading – but generally only when the airline is not in an approved ADR scheme. You must have complained to the airline in writing first and waited 8 weeks or received its final response. Apply on the CAA’s online form. It is free, takes around 10 weeks on the CAA’s guideline timings (currently longer), and ends with an opinion the airline is not legally forced to follow.
What PACT is
The Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation regulator and the body responsible for enforcing UK261 – the version of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 that stayed in UK law after Brexit. Its Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) is the part of the CAA that looks at individual passenger complaints.
According to the CAA, PACT only handles three types of complaint:
- delayed or cancelled flights, downgrading and denied boarding (UK261);
- assistance for disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility (UK1107);
- lost, delayed or damaged baggage (the Montreal Convention).
It does not deal with general customer-service problems, travel agents or package tour operators. For package holidays, the CAA points you to its ATOL pages, the relevant trade association or Citizens Advice.
Which airlines it covers
This is the most important point: PACT is the route for airlines that are not members of an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. The CAA says it is “only likely to consider your complaint” in that case. If the airline belongs to a scheme, you go there instead.
On the CAA’s list (read on 10 November 2026), these airlines are in an approved or recognised ADR scheme, so they normally do not go to PACT:
- AviationADR: Air Astana, Air Baltic, Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, Air France, Asiana Airlines, Buzz, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, EgyptAir, Garuda Indonesia, KLM, Lauda, Malta Air, Royal Brunei, Ryanair, SAS, TAP Air Portugal, TUI Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air.
- CEDR: British Airways, BA CityFlyer, Cathay Pacific.
- Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr (Germany): Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss.
For any airline not on these lists – for example Jet2, Loganair, Emirates or Qatar Airways, unless their status has changed – the CAA is the escalation route for flights covered by UK261. Membership changes, so check the airline’s final response letter, which normally tells you where to go next, and the CAA’s ADR page. Our ADR schemes guide has the full lists.
Which flights
UK261 – and therefore PACT – covers flights departing a UK airport, and flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline (Article 3). For flights departing an EU airport, EU261 applies and the national enforcement body of that country is responsible. Flights to or from Northern Ireland are a special case: those complaints go to the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
Before you complain
The CAA lists three conditions:
- You have complained to the airline in writing, and are unhappy with the outcome or have had no reply within 8 weeks. Use the airline’s form or our complaint letter template.
- The airline is not in an approved ADR scheme (see above).
- At least a year is left to take legal action. The CAA says it will “not handle complaints where there is less than a year to take legal action”. The limitation period is 6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 5 years in Scotland, so a flight more than about 5 years old (4 in Scotland) is too late for PACT, although you may still be able to go to court.
How to complain
The CAA takes complaints through an online complaint form. You do not have to complete it in one sitting. Have ready:
- flight number, date, route and booking reference;
- copies of your complaint to the airline and every reply, including the final response if you have one;
- receipts for expenses you are claiming;
- for baggage claims, the Property Irregularity Report and proof of address.
Upload scans – do not send originals, because the CAA destroys paperwork after scanning. If you are visually impaired and need help with the form, the CAA offers help at passenger.complaints@caa.co.uk or on 0330 022 1916.
Writing the complaint
Keep it short and factual. Say what happened (scheduled and actual arrival times), what you claimed and when, what the airline replied, and why you disagree. If the airline cited extraordinary circumstances, say what it claimed and why you think it does not apply – for example that a technical fault was not extraordinary, or that other flights operated normally. Our ADR complaint template has a structure you can reuse for PACT too.
How long it takes
The CAA publishes guideline timings and says current times are longer because of high demand:
| Stage | Guideline time |
|---|---|
| Initial assessment (after all documents are received) | About 1 week |
| Airline’s response to the CAA | Normally within 4 weeks |
| If either side challenges the response | About 2 more weeks |
| Final assessment | About 5 weeks |
Added up, that is roughly 10–12 weeks after your complete file reaches the CAA, before any backlog.
What PACT can and cannot do
PACT advises whether you have a valid complaint and, if so, raises it with the airline. That alone often settles the case: an airline that receives a CAA opinion saying compensation is due frequently pays. But the CAA is clear about its limits:
- it does “not have the legal powers to impose a solution on an airline”;
- you cannot appeal the CAA’s opinion;
- if you are not satisfied, your option is legal action against the airline.
This differs from ADR: an ADR decision you accept is binding on the airline, whereas a CAA opinion is not. It also differs from some EU countries, where the national enforcement body can order an airline to pay (see national enforcement bodies).
If the airline still refuses
The CAA itself says the small claims court is usually the most appropriate place for airline disputes. The next steps are:
- send a letter before action giving 14 days to pay, and mention the CAA’s opinion;
- issue a claim: Money Claim Online in England and Wales, simple procedure in Scotland, or the Northern Ireland small claims court.
Check whether your home insurance includes legal expenses cover – the CAA suggests this too. The full sequence is on our how to claim page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CAA complaint free?
Yes. The CAA does not charge passengers for handling a complaint.
Can the CAA make the airline pay?
No. In its own words, the CAA does “not have the legal powers to impose a solution on an airline”. It gives an opinion and raises your complaint with the airline. Many airlines act on it, but if one does not, your remaining option is court.
Can I appeal the CAA’s decision?
No. The CAA says its opinion cannot be appealed. If you disagree, you can still take the airline to court within the limitation period.
My flight was from Belfast. Does the CAA handle it?
No. Complaints about flights to or from Northern Ireland go to the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland. See our Ireland and Northern Ireland guide.
My flight departed from Spain. Can the CAA help?
Usually not. For a flight departing the EU, EU261 applies and the complaint belongs with the national enforcement body of the departure country (in Spain, AESA). See national enforcement bodies.
Can a claims company or solicitor complain for me?
The CAA accepts complaints from legal representatives only with a signed consent form from the passenger. If you have already instructed a claims company, it normally handles the escalation itself.
Sources
- How the CAA can help – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Making a claim – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- CAA complaint form – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Air passenger travel guide: summary of passenger rights – Department for Transport
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK, Article 3 – legislation.gov.uk
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