British Airways Flight Delayed or Cancelled? UK261 / EU261 Checklist

British Airways flies from major UK hubs and across Europe and beyond. If your BA flight was delayed or cancelled, use this checklist to capture evidence and put a clear request in writing. Delay Draft helps you create a British Airways delay letter that you send. We do not file claims, and we are not a law firm.

Nothing here promises compensation, refunds, or airline approval. Whether UK261, EU261, or other remedies may apply depends on your itinerary and the facts of the disruption.

UK261, EU261, and why your route matters

In plain terms:

Flights departing a UK airport often lead passengers to check UK261
Flights departing an EU/EEA/Swiss airport on BA (or another covered carrier) often lead passengers to check EU261
Some UK–EU itineraries raise questions under both frameworks; usually only one set of rules is used for the same disruption—confirm with official CAA / EU guidance for your route

Licensing and the operating carrier on your ticket matter (including Iberia Express, Aer Lingus, or other partners on codeshares). Read your booking carefully. Our UK261 guide and EU261 overview pages explain the frameworks at a high level. Delay Draft does not decide which rules cover your trip.

Heathrow and Gatwick: what to capture during disruption

BA disruptions often surface at London Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW). While you are still airside—or as soon as you get a notification—save:

Flight number, date, and route
Scheduled vs. new departure and arrival times
The reason shown in the BA app, email, SMS, or given by staff (note any reason codes if shown)
Whether meals, vouchers, hotel, or rebooking were offered
Screenshots of delay boards, push notifications, and boarding-pass QR screens
How late you arrived at your final destination if you connected

If you pay for food, a hotel, or ground transport yourself, keep receipts. Write down desk references if staff give verbal updates. Accepting a rebooking or voucher can affect refund options in some systems—decide carefully and keep proof of what you chose.

Care during long waits; refund and re-routing choices

During a long delay, airlines may have a duty of care—food and drink in proportion to the wait, and hotel plus transport if you are stuck overnight—subject to delay thresholds and circumstances under UK261 or EU261 when those rules may apply.

If the delay becomes long enough, you may also face a choice about whether to continue travelling, seek re-routing, or ask about a refund instead of travelling. Exact thresholds and options depend on distance and the regulation that may apply. Ask BA staff or the app what they are offering, and keep a written record.

Care is separate from any fixed amounts that may apply after a long arrival delay when the cause is within the airline’s control. Extraordinary circumstances (such as certain weather or ATC events) may affect those amounts. No fixed payout is guaranteed.

Writing to British Airways after travel

A clear, dated letter or formal complaint submission should usually include:

Passenger names and booking reference
Flight number, date, and airports (note marketing vs operating carrier on codeshares)
Timeline of the disruption, including final arrival if you connected
Cause as told to you
Care and expenses (with receipts)
What you want BA to review under UK261, EU261, or its customer process

Send through the channel BA publishes for delayed/cancelled flight requests, and keep confirmation of submission. If you use Delay Draft, we help with wording and structure; you send the letter.

For a UK-focused letter structure, see /uk261-claim-letter. For EU-focused structure, see /eu261-claim-letter.

Create your BA delay letter

Create a British Airways delay letter with Delay Draft—clear, dated, and ready for you to send at DelayDraft.com. Typical pricing: $9.99 for 1–2 people, $24.99 for 3–6 on the same letter (confirm at checkout). We are not a law firm and do not promise outcomes.

Support for letter orders: claims@delaydraft.com.

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