Flight Delayed or Cancelled in the UK? How UK261 Works
Since Brexit, flights from the UK are covered by UK261, a UK version of the EU rules. Most rights are the same, but the amounts are in pounds and complaints go to an ADR body or the Civil Aviation Authority instead of an EU enforcement body.
Main airports and airlines in the United Kingdom
The biggest airports are London Heathrow (LHR), the hub of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, London Gatwick (LGW), Manchester (MAN), London Stansted (STN), London Luton (LTN), Edinburgh (EDI), Birmingham (BHX), Glasgow (GLA), Bristol (BRS) and Belfast International (BFS). Major UK airlines include easyJet, Jet2, TUI Airways and Loganair.
When UK261 applies
After Brexit, the UK kept its own version of the EU rules, known as UK261. According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Citizens Advice, it generally applies when:
- You depart from a UK airport, on any airline.
- You fly into the UK from outside the UK on a UK or EU airline.
- You fly into the EU from outside the EU on a UK airline.
Flights between the UK and the EU can be covered by both UK261 and EU261. For example, a British Airways flight from Paris to London departs the EU (EU261) and arrives in the UK on a UK airline (UK261). Generally, only one set of rules can be used for the same disruption. See our EU261 guide in Spanish for the EU side.
Delays: meals, hotels, re-routing and refunds
The CAA says your airline must look after you when a departure is delayed by:
- 2 hours or more on flights under 1,500 km (for example London to Edinburgh, about 530 km)
- 3 hours or more on flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km (for example Manchester to Antalya, about 3,130 km)
- 4 hours or more on flights over 3,500 km (for example London to New York, about 5,540 km)
Care means food and drink in proportion to the wait, and a hotel plus transport if you are delayed overnight. If the delay reaches 5 hours, you can choose not to travel and ask for a refund.
The fixed amounts in UK261 (in pounds)
UK261 sets amounts in pounds sterling, not euros. For an arrival 3+ hours late caused by something within the airline's control, the CAA lists per passenger:
- £220 for flights under 1,500 km (for example Glasgow to Amsterdam)
- £350 for flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km
- £260 for flights over 3,500 km arriving 3 to 4 hours late, and £520 if more than 4 hours late
These are what the regulation sets. Whether they apply to your flight depends on the cause and the facts, and the CAA notes they are not paid automatically: you have to ask the airline.
Extraordinary circumstances and UK disruptions
Airlines do not have to pay the fixed amounts when they show extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather, air traffic control decisions, security risks or political instability. Care still applies. Recent major UK disruptions include the August 2023 NATS air traffic control failure and the March 2025 Heathrow closure after a fire at an electricity substation. Events like these are typically argued to be extraordinary, so ask the airline for the cause in writing.
Where to complain in the UK
Write to the airline first. If you are not satisfied with the final response, or the airline has not replied within 8 weeks, the CAA says to go to the airline's approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) body if it has one, or to the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) if it does not. PACT can give an opinion and take up a valid complaint, but it cannot force an airline to pay. Start at the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Note: The EU's 2026 amendments to EU261 (Regulation (EU) 2026/2202) do not change UK261. UK rules are set by the UK.
FAQ
Is my Ryanair flight from London Stansted covered? Yes. UK261 applies to all flights departing the UK, whatever the airline.
Is a flight from New York to London on a US airline covered? Generally not on that leg. UK261 covers flights into the UK only when a UK or EU airline operates them.
Who do I go to if the airline will not respond? After 8 weeks, the airline's approved ADR body if it has one, or the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team if it does not.
Related guides
- EU261 guide (en español)
- Flight cancelled: your options
- Missed connection guide
- All Europe flight delay guides
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