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Malaysia Airlines flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your Malaysia Airlines flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysian airline: UK261 covers its flights departing UK airports (Heathrow–Kuala Lumpur) and EU261 its flights departing EU airports (Paris–Kuala Lumpur). Flights from Kuala Lumpur to the UK or EU are not covered by either.

IATA code
MH
Headquarters
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Sepang)
Hub
Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

Malaysia Airlines flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines routes: London Heathrow–Kuala Lumpur, Paris CDG–Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia Airlines flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines in the UK in 2025?

Malaysia Airlines operated 1,451 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.95% 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
1,451

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
81.3%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.95%

1 in 105 flights · worse than the UK average

Cancelled
1.23%

18 flights · worse than the UK average

Average delay
13.4 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 Malaysia Airlines

  • Malaysia Airlines' help page sends complaints to its Customer Relations team through an online feedback form (malaysiaairlines.com → Help). Its conditions of carriage say you must claim directly and allow it 28 days to respond before you engage a third party, which needs documents proving its authority.
  • Malaysia Airlines says it is not subscribed to an approved ADR scheme and refers UK passengers to the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT).

About Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines traces its history to Malayan Airways, which first flew in 1947; it became Malaysian Airline System in 1972, when Malaysia-Singapore Airlines split into the national airlines of the two countries. After the losses of 2014, linked to the loss of MH370 and the shooting down of MH17, its business moved in 2015 into a new company, Malaysia Airlines Berhad, now part of Malaysia Aviation Group. It has been a member of Oneworld since February 2013.

Its long-haul fleet consists of Airbus A350-900s and A330s. In Europe it flies only to London Heathrow and, since March 2025 again, Paris. In the CAA's 2025 figures it operated 1,451 flights at Heathrow, with 81.3% on time and 0.95% arriving 3 hours or more late.

London–Kuala Lumpur is about 10,600 km, so a flight from Heathrow that arrives 4 hours or more late gives £520 per passenger (£260 for 3–4 hours). Only the outbound direction is protected.

How to claim directly from Malaysia Airlines

  • Official online form: malaysiaairlines.com
  • Help page: complaints go to Customer Relations through the online feedback form. The conditions of carriage (10.4) say you must claim directly and allow 28 days before engaging a third party. Malaysia Airlines says it is not in an approved ADR scheme and refers UK passengers to the CAA’s PACT.
  • 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 Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en/help.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 Malaysia Airlines 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.

Malaysia Airlines 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 Malaysia Airlines 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. Malaysia Airlines – official claim / complaints page – Malaysia Airlines
  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.