In short: If an airline will not pay EU261 compensation, complain to the national enforcement body of the country where the incident happened – usually the departure country, or the arrival country for an EU-airline flight into the EU – whatever your nationality; then use ADR where it exists, and finally a national court or the European Small Claims Procedure. For flights from the UK, the route is the airline's ADR scheme or the Civil Aviation Authority, then the UK courts. Step by step:
- A written claim to the airline – the complaint letter generator gives you a ready-made PDF with the airline's official claims address.
- If the airline rejects it or does not reply within about 2 months: a complaint to the national enforcement body (NEB) of the country where the incident happened. Depending on the country, the NEB may be able to order the airline to pay.
- Alongside or instead: alternative dispute resolution (ADR), if there is a scheme for airlines in that country – usually free for passengers.
- As a last resort: court – for cross-border claims up to €5,000, the European Small Claims Procedure.
- Or at any stage: hand the claim to a claims agency, which takes the risk and the work.
1. A written claim to the airline
Every further step requires you to have tried the airline first, in writing. Use the airline's compensation form or our complaint letter template, and keep everything: what you sent, the acknowledgement and the reply. If the answer is "extraordinary circumstances", ask for the specific reason and the evidence.
2. A complaint to the national enforcement body
Under Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, every EU and EEA country (and Switzerland) has designated a national enforcement body (NEB) responsible for flights departing from its airports and for flights arriving there from non-EU countries. In practice you complain to the NEB of the country where the incident happened. You can turn to it if the airline has not replied within about 2 months or has rejected your claim. Attach your booking, boarding pass and correspondence with the airline.
What an NEB can do varies by country. All of them can monitor airlines and impose penalties; some only give a non-binding opinion on individual complaints. In C-597/20 LOT (2022), a case brought against the Budapest Government Office, the Court of Justice confirmed that Member States may empower their NEB to order an airline to pay compensation to an individual passenger, provided the decision can be challenged in court. Procedures usually take months.
National enforcement bodies in major countries
| Country | Enforcement body | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) | Enforces UK261. If the airline belongs to a CAA-approved ADR scheme, your complaint goes there. |
| Ireland | Irish Aviation Authority (took over the Commission for Aviation Regulation’s passenger-rights role in 2023) | Flights from Irish airports. |
| Germany | Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) | ADR: Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr (formerly söp). |
| Poland | Passenger complaints: the Passengers' Rights Ombudsman; enforcement: the President of the Civil Aviation Authority (ULC) | Flights from Polish airports. |
| France | DGAC (Direction générale de l'aviation civile) | Flights from French airports. |
| Spain | AESA (Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea) | Flights from Spanish airports. |
| Italy | ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile) | Flights from Italian airports. ENAC uses complaints to check and sanction airlines, not to obtain compensation; for compensation or a refund, the Transport Regulatory Authority (ART) runs a dispute settlement service (ConciliaWeb). |
| Netherlands | ILT (Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport) | Flights from Dutch airports. |
| Hungary | Budapest Government Office (BFKH), Consumer Protection Department; for Debrecen, the Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office | Can order airlines to pay (C-597/20). ADR: conciliation boards, such as the Budapest Conciliation Board. |
For current contact details, see the list of national enforcement bodies linked from the European Commission's air passenger rights pages (last updated 13 October 2026). Names and responsibilities can change, so check there before you complain.
Every country: enforcement body, ADR route and claim guide
The body to contact for a flight from each country (and for EU-airline flights arriving there from outside Europe). Each country guide explains the procedure, the ADR route and – where an official source states it – the time limit for court claims.
| Country | Enforcement body (NEB) | ADR or conciliation | Time limit for court claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Agentur für Passagier- und Fahrgastrechte (apf) – Agency for Passenger Rights | The apf is also the statutory conciliation body for air passengers. | See the country guide |
| Belgium | FPS Mobility and Transport – Directorate-General Air Transport, Passenger Rights | The Consumer Mediation Service (Consumentenombudsdienst / Service de Médiation pour le Consommateur) is free and fully non-binding, and only mediates with companies established in Belgium, such as Belgian airlines. | See the country guide |
| Bulgaria | Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration (Ministry of Transport and Communications) | The Sectoral Conciliation Commission for air transport disputes at the Consumer Protection Commission (KZP): voluntary, free for both parties, and it aims to end with a settlement proposal within 90 days. | See the country guide |
| Croatia | Croatian Civil Aviation Agency (CCAA) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Cyprus | Department of Civil Aviation (Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Czech Republic | Civil Aviation Authority of the Czech Republic (ÚCL) | The Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) handles out-of-court consumer disputes in sectors not excluded from its remit (air transport is not on the excluded list). | See the country guide |
| Denmark | Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen) | See the country guide | 3 years from the date the flight was delayed or cancelled, as a starting point (Danish Limitation Act), according to the European Consumer Centre Denmark. |
| Estonia | Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (Tarbijakaitse ja Tehnilise Järelevalve Amet, TTJA) | The Consumer Disputes Committee (Tarbijavaidluste komisjon) at TTJA handles complaints against airlines established in Estonia or with a branch there. | See the country guide |
| Finland | Consumer Disputes Board (Kuluttajariitalautakunta) – complaints from private consumers | The Consumer Disputes Board is free; its decisions are recommendations and cannot be enforced. | See the country guide |
| France | Direction générale de l’aviation civile (DGAC), Bureau des passagers aériens | Médiation Tourisme et Voyage (MTV): free, non-binding opinions, only for airlines that have signed its charter. | 5 years from when the passenger knew or ought to have known the facts allowing the claim (Code civil, art. 2224); confirmed for EU261 claims by the Cour de cassation, 1st civil chamber, 10 October 2019 (nos 18-20.490 and 18-20.491). |
| Germany | Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) – National Enforcement Body Air Passenger Rights | Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr (formerly söp) for airlines that are members – free for consumers, ending in a non-binding recommendation. | 3 years, running from the end of the year in which the claim arose (BGB §§ 195, 199) – so a flight in March 2024 can be claimed until 31 December 2027. |
| Greece | Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), Passenger Rights and Air Carriers Operating Licensing Section | The Hellenic Consumer Ombudsman (Synigoros tou Katanaloti) mediates between consumers and businesses, including airlines; it has published cases in which its mediation led an airline to pay compensation after a cancellation. | See the country guide |
| Hungary | Government Office of the Capital City Budapest, Consumer Protection Department | The county conciliation boards (békéltető testületek), such as the Budapest Conciliation Board, are free. | 5 years from when the claim became due (general rule, Civil Code – Act V of 2013 – s.6:22). |
| Iceland | Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) | Samgöngustofa settles disputes between passengers and airlines with a formal ruling (úrskurður). | See the country guide |
| Ireland | Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) – Air Passenger Rights | See the country guide | 6 years from the date the cause of action accrued, under the general rule for simple contracts and sums recoverable by virtue of an enactment (Statute of Limitations 1957, s.11(1)). |
| Italy | ENAC – Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (Air Passenger Rights Directorate) | To claim compensation or a refund, use the Transport Regulatory Authority’s (ART) dispute settlement service through the ConciliaWeb platform, in person or through a representative. | See the country guide |
| Latvia | Consumer Rights Protection Centre (Patērētāju tiesību aizsardzības centrs, PTAC) | See the country guide | 3 years: claims against the carrier expire after three years (Commercial Law, art. 406), according to the Consumer Rights Protection Centre. |
| Lithuania | Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration (Lietuvos transporto saugos administracija, LTSA) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Luxembourg | Directorate for Consumer Protection (Direction de la protection des consommateurs) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Malta | Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Netherlands | Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT) – Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Norway | Transportklagenemnda (Transport Complaints Board), run by Norsk ReiselivsForum | The Transport Complaints Board – aviation (Transportklagenemnda – fly) is both the complaints body and the dispute route. | See the country guide |
| Poland | Civil Aviation Authority (ULC): Passengers’ Rights Ombudsman (complaints) and the President of the ULC (enforcement) | The Passengers’ Rights Ombudsman at the President of the Civil Aviation Authority is registered as an ADR body for airline disputes: free for both sides, in writing in Polish or English, with a non-binding outcome. | See the country guide |
| Portugal | Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil (ANAC) | Consumer dispute arbitration centres (for example the Lisbon centre, CACCL, and the national centre, CNIACC). | See the country guide |
| Romania | National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Slovakia | Slovak Trade Inspection (Slovenská obchodná inšpekcia, SOI), Central Inspectorate | SOI is also Slovakia’s general (residual) consumer ADR body, and air transport is not excluded from its remit; SOI names itself as an ADR route for disputes with Slovak-based airlines. | See the country guide |
| Slovenia | Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (Javna agencija za civilno letalstvo, CAA) | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| Spain | Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (AESA), Passenger Rights Division | AESA is also an accredited alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body (accreditation published in the BOE on 10 May 2023). | 5 years from the event that gave rise to the claim (Civil Code, art. 1964.2, as stated by the Community of Madrid’s consumer guidance). |
| Sweden | Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) | The National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN) handles delayed and cancelled flights. | See the country guide |
| Switzerland | Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA/BAZL) – Passenger rights | See the country guide | See the country guide |
| United Kingdom (UK261) | Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) | Two CAA-approved ADR providers: AviationADR and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). | 6 years in England and Wales (Limitation Act 1980, s.9, applied by UK261 Art. 3(9) and Dawson v Thomson Airways [2014] EWCA Civ 845); 5 years in Scotland (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, s.6); 6 years in Northern Ireland (Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, art. 4). |
Enforcement bodies: European Commission list of national enforcement bodies (13 October 2026) and, for the UK, the CAA. ADR routes and time limits: the official sources listed in each country guide. "–" means we have not yet verified the detail.
3. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
- Many countries have an ADR body for air passengers – an independent conciliation or mediation service. It is usually free for passengers and can be started online.
- You normally have to have tried to settle the dispute with the airline first.
- Whether the outcome is binding depends on the scheme: some make recommendations, others issue decisions the airline has agreed to follow.
- In some countries ADR replaces the NEB for individual complaints (in the UK, for example, the CAA refers you to the airline's ADR scheme if it has one).
For cross-border disputes, the European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net, one in every EU country plus Iceland and Norway) give free advice and can contact the airline on your behalf.
4. The European Small Claims Procedure and national courts
If the airline still will not pay, you can go to court. You do not have to sue where the airline is based: according to the Court of Justice (C-204/08 Rehder), you can also choose the court for the place of departure or the place of arrival of the flight.
- European Small Claims Procedure (Regulation (EC) No 861/2007): for cross-border claims up to €5,000 – which covers every EU261 claim. See our European Small Claims guide. It is a simplified, mainly written procedure: you fill in the standard claim form (Form A) and send it to the competent court. No lawyer is needed. Court fees are set nationally and vary. It is available in all EU countries except Denmark.
- European Order for Payment: an alternative for uncontested cross-border money claims (also not available in Denmark).
- National procedures: if the airline is based in the same country as the court, national small-claims or payment-order procedures apply.
- United Kingdom: since Brexit, the European procedures no longer apply; UK261 claims go through the UK courts' own small-claims routes – see small claims in England and Wales, Simple Procedure in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
5. A claims agency
If you do not want to deal with forms, deadlines and court procedures, a claims agency can take over at any stage. It charges a success fee and bears the cost and risk of enforcement and litigation.
How long do you have?
The regulation sets no time limit; this is a matter for national law (Court of Justice, C-139/11 Cuadrench Moré). Limitation periods vary by country: for example 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year), 5 years in France and Hungary, 6 years in Ireland, 6 years in England and Wales and 5 years in Scotland – see the table above and our time limits guide. AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old. Even so, do not wait: evidence becomes harder to obtain over time, and most dispute bodies expect you to act promptly. Under the new EU rules applying from 23 October 2027, claims for later flights will have to be made within 9 months.
Frequently asked questions
Which country's enforcement body should I complain to?
As a rule, the national enforcement body of the country where the incident happened: for a flight departing from the EU, the country of the departure airport; for a flight into the EU from a non-EU country with an EU airline, the country of arrival. Your nationality and where you live do not matter: a Polish resident whose Madrid–Warsaw flight was delayed complains to AESA in Spain, and an Irish resident whose Frankfurt–Lisbon flight was cancelled complains to the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt in Germany. For flights from the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority (or the airline's ADR scheme). The European Commission's air passenger rights pages link to the current list of NEBs, and the table on this page links to our guide for each country.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. Complaints to an enforcement body, ADR and the European Small Claims Procedure are designed to be used without a lawyer. If the airline defends a court case, a lawyer can help – or you can hand the whole thing to a claims agency, which also takes on court cases.
Is the EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform still available?
No. New complaints could no longer be submitted from 20 March 2025, and the platform was closed on 20 July 2025 (Regulation (EU) 2024/3228).
Can I claim for a business trip?
Yes – compensation belongs to the passenger, even if the employer paid for the ticket. Some enforcement bodies and most ADR schemes only deal with consumer complaints, however, so for business travel the court route or a claims agency is often the practical option.
Can I complain in English?
Many enforcement bodies offer an English website or complaint form – the European Commission's list notes English versions for, among others, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Czechia, Denmark and Croatia. Where a body only works in its own language, the European Consumer Centre in your country can help with cross-border cases.
How much does the European Small Claims Procedure cost?
Court fees are set by each country and vary; in some countries they are a percentage of the claim, in others a fixed amount. The fee is normally recoverable from the airline if you win. Check the fee in the country where you file before you start.
The sources for this page are listed below. For information only, not legal advice.
Sources
- National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
- Air passenger rights – passenger rights in the EU – European Commission
- Air passenger rights – complaints and claims – Your Europe (European Commission)
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 16 – EUR-Lex
- C-597/20 LOT, judgment of 29 September 2022 – Court of Justice of the EU
- C-204/08 Rehder, judgment of 9 July 2009 – Court of Justice of the EU
- C-139/11 Cuadrench Moré, judgment of 22 November 2012 – Court of Justice of the EU
- Regulation (EC) No 861/2007 – European Small Claims Procedure – EUR-Lex
- Regulation (EU) 2024/3228 (repeal of the ODR platform) – EUR-Lex
- Enforcement of air passenger rights (Hungary) – National Trade and Consumer Protection Authority (Hungary)
We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.