In short: Use the flight delay claim form on tui.co.uk – it is only for TUI Airways flights (flight numbers starting TOM, BY, OR or BLX, according to TUI). You need the booking reference, flight details and every passenger's name. TUI aims to reply within 14 days. Compensation for arriving 3+ hours late is £220 / £350 / £520 (€250 / €400 / €600); £260 (€300) on long flights delayed 3–4 hours. If TUI says no, go to AviationADR (free) and then, if needed, the small claims court.
Check you have a claim against TUI Airways
Three things decide whether TUI owes compensation:
- The airline. TUI can only process claims for flights operated by TUI Airways. If your TUI holiday used another airline, claim on that airline's website.
- The delay at arrival. What counts is the time the aircraft door opened at your destination, not take-off or landing time – TUI's own page says the same. You need 3 hours or more. For cancellations, the notice period matters (see our TUI cancellation guide).
- The cause. If TUI can prove extraordinary circumstances – bad weather affecting your flight, an air traffic control restriction, a security alert – no compensation is due. Technical faults and crew problems usually do not qualify as extraordinary.
| Flight distance | Delay at arrival | UK261 | EU261 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 3 hours+ | £220 | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | 3 hours+ | £350 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | 3–4 hours | £260 | €300 |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours+ | £520 | €600 |
Pounds apply to flights from the UK and to TUI Airways flights into the UK from outside the EU; euros to flights from EU airports. You cannot claim under both for the same flight.
Filling in the TUI claim form
The form is linked from TUI's Flight delays with TUI Airways page and its Help Centre FAQ How do I claim my flight delay compensation?. Before you start, have ready:
- your booking reference and the flight number and date (outbound and return are separate flights – claim for the one that was late);
- the names of all passengers who travelled, including children – each one has their own entitlement;
- your actual arrival time if you noted it, plus any messages TUI sent about the delay;
- receipts for any expenses (meals, taxis, a hotel) if TUI did not provide care.
TUI warns that inaccurate or incomplete details will delay the assessment, so check names against the booking. A claim made by one lead passenger can include the whole party on the same booking; if you are claiming for someone on a different booking, get their written authority.
Want something in writing as well? Our complaint letter template and letter generator set out the legal basis in a form TUI's team will recognise.
What happens after you submit
TUI says it aims to process claims within 14 days, although it can take longer in busy periods. Its page describes two outcomes:
- Approved: TUI sends you a link to submit your bank details and pays by bank transfer.
- Rejected: TUI explains why the claim does not qualify – usually by naming an extraordinary circumstance.
TUI recommends claiming directly rather than through a claims company, which takes a share. That is a fair point for straightforward claims: a direct claim costs nothing. A claims company or solicitor can still make sense if TUI has refused and you do not want to take it further yourself – our claim companies compared page shows what each charges.
Check your TUI Airways flight
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Common TUI rejections and how to answer them
| What TUI says | What to check |
|---|---|
| "Air traffic control restrictions" | Ask for the slot or regulation details for your flight. ATC delays can be extraordinary, but the airline must show they caused your delay. More |
| "The aircraft was delayed on its previous flight" | A knock-on delay is only excused if the earlier delay was itself extraordinary and TUI did all it reasonably could afterwards. More |
| "Technical issue" | Routine technical faults are not extraordinary (Jet2.com v Huzar, Court of Appeal, 2014). More |
| "Bad weather" | Was your airport or flight actually affected at the time? Check airport reports for that day. More |
| "The delay was under 3 hours" | The relevant time is when the door opened at arrival, not touchdown. |
Reply in writing, quote the article of UK261 or EU261 you rely on, and ask for evidence. Our letter before action template is the formal last step before court.
Claiming expenses and holiday losses
Compensation is a fixed sum; it does not depend on what the delay cost you. Separately, you can recover:
- Care costs TUI should have covered – reasonable meals, drinks, a hotel and transfers if the delay ran overnight. TUI says it normally provides refreshment vouchers and arranges accommodation for overnight delays, so you only claim what you paid yourself. See care rights.
- Package holiday losses – a lost hotel night, a missed excursion booked through TUI – from TUI UK as organiser under the Package Travel Regulations. TUI's package terms ask you to complain within 28 days of returning home. See package holidays.
Delayed or damaged luggage is a separate claim with its own deadlines: see TUI delayed and lost baggage.
If TUI says no: AviationADR and court
TUI Airways belongs to AviationADR, the CAA-approved dispute scheme run by Consumer Dispute Resolution Ltd. TUI's flight-only terms confirm this. You can use it once you have TUI's final answer, or if 8 weeks have passed without one, and you must apply within 12 months of the final response. It is free for passengers, and a decision you accept binds the airline. Step by step: ADR schemes.
Because TUI is in an ADR scheme, the CAA's complaints team (PACT) will not normally take the case. For package holiday complaints (rather than the flight compensation), TUI's package terms point to ABTA's dispute resolution scheme.
If ADR does not resolve it, the small claims court is the final route: 6 years from the flight in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland: 5 years (Simple Procedure). Time limits by country: time limits.
Frequently asked questions
How long does TUI take to pay flight delay compensation?
TUI says it aims to process claims within 14 days, but it can take longer in busy periods. If a claim is approved, TUI sends a link to enter your bank details. If you hear nothing for 8 weeks, you can go to AviationADR.
Where is the TUI flight delay claim form?
It is linked from TUI's "Flight delays with TUI Airways" page and from the Help Centre FAQ "How do I claim my flight delay compensation?" on tui.co.uk. It is only for flights operated by TUI Airways.
Can I claim for my whole family on one TUI claim?
Yes, list every passenger on the booking. Compensation is per person, so a family of four on a 4-hour-late flight to Tenerife could be owed 4 × £350.
How far back can I claim against TUI?
Court claims under UK261 can be brought up to 6 years after the flight in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland. AviationADR also accepts disputes about incidents within those periods.
The TUI Airways name belongs to its owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site and is not affiliated with TUI Airways. Information only, not legal advice.
Sources
- Flight delays with TUI Airways – TUI UK
- How do I claim my flight delay compensation? – TUI UK
- TUI Airways flight-only terms and conditions – TUI UK
- TUI package holiday terms and conditions – TUI UK
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK version), Article 7 – legislation.gov.uk
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- How the CAA can help – UK Civil Aviation Authority
We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.