British Airways delay and cancellation compensation: your rights and how to claim

British Airways is a UK airline, so a delayed or cancelled BA flight can be covered by the UK's version of the passenger rights rules (UK261), by the EU's Regulation 261/2004 (EU261), or by both, depending on where the flight left from. This page explains which rules apply to your route, when British Airways owes compensation, how to make a BA compensation claim yourself, and what to do if the answer is no.

01Which rules cover your British Airways flight

The deciding question is where the flight departed from, and for flights into the UK or EU, which airline actually operated it.

• Flights leaving the UK, for example Heathrow to New York or Gatwick to Malaga, are covered by UK261, whatever the destination.
• Flights from an EU airport to the UK, for example Madrid to Heathrow, are covered by EU261 because they depart from the EU. UK261 can cover the same flight too, because BA is a UK airline landing in the UK, but you can only be compensated once.
• Flights into the UK from outside Europe, for example New York to Heathrow, are covered by UK261 because BA is a UK carrier. The exception is where you already received compensation and assistance under local rules in the country you left.
• Codeshare flights sold with a BA flight number but operated by another airline are the operating airline's responsibility, as BA's own notice of rights confirms. A BA-numbered flight from New York to London that is operated by American Airlines, a US carrier, is not covered on that inbound leg.

02How much British Airways delay compensation you could claim

Compensation is a fixed amount per passenger. It does not depend on the ticket price, and it applies to children with their own paid seat as well as adults. The amount depends on the flight distance, measured in a straight line ("great circle") from your first departure airport to your final destination: up to 1,500 km, 1,500 to 3,500 km, or over 3,500 km. UK261 amounts are set in pounds and EU261 amounts in euros.

• EU261 (flights from the EU, or into the EU on an EU airline): €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, by flight distance.
• UK261 (flights from the UK, or into the UK on a UK or EU airline): £220, £350 or £520 per passenger, by flight distance.

Two details matter on BA's long-haul network. First, the delay is measured at your final destination, three hours or more after the scheduled arrival, and arrival means the moment the doors open (EU Court of Justice, Germanwings, C-452/13). Second, if BA re-routed you and you arrived only slightly late, the amount can be reduced by half: within two, three or four hours of the original arrival time, depending on the distance band.

03British Airways cancelled flight compensation

When BA cancels, you always have a choice between a full refund (paid within seven days) and a replacement flight, plus meals, refreshments and a hotel where needed while you wait. Compensation on top of that depends on how much notice you were given:

• 14 days or more before departure: no compensation, but the refund or re-routing rights still apply.
• Between 7 and 14 days: compensation is due unless BA offered a replacement that left no more than two hours earlier and arrived less than four hours later than planned.
• Less than 7 days: compensation is due unless the replacement left no more than one hour earlier and arrived less than two hours later.

In every case, BA can refuse if it shows the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures.

04What counts as an extraordinary circumstance at BA

The UK Civil Aviation Authority lists weather that makes flying unsafe, security risks, political unrest and strikes by people who don't work for the airline (airport staff, ground handlers, air traffic control, border force) as likely extraordinary circumstances. The regulation's own recitals add air traffic control decisions that hold back a particular flight on a particular day.

Two common causes usually do not let an airline off:

• Technical faults. The EU Court of Justice ruled in Wallentin-Hermann (C-549/07) that problems arising in normal aircraft operation and maintenance are not extraordinary. The CAA takes the same view.
• Strikes by the airline's own staff. In Airhelp v SAS (C-28/20), the court held that a strike called by a union of the airline's own employees is not an extraordinary circumstance.

If BA's reply only says "extraordinary circumstances", it is reasonable to ask what exactly happened to your flight.

05How to make a BA compensation claim yourself

You don't need anyone's help to claim, and it costs nothing.

1. Go to BA's Complaints and claims page and choose "Start a new complaint or claim". The same portal handles compensation for disrupted flights, expenses and baggage.
2. Enter the booking reference, the original flight number and date, and every passenger on the booking.
3. Add receipts for meals, transport or hotels separately as expenses. Compensation and expenses are different things, and BA has a separate route for adding expenses to a disruption claim.
4. Keep your case reference. BA asks passengers not to open a second case for the same problem, because it can mean a longer wait.

Compensation should be paid as money. The regulation allows vouchers or other services only with your signed agreement, so you can decline them.

06If British Airways says no

• Dispute resolution: BA and BA CityFlyer are members of CEDR, an alternative dispute resolution body approved by the CAA. BA says you need to refer your complaint to CEDR within 12 months. According to the CAA, approved ADR bodies can make decisions that bind the airline.
• EU departures: for a flight that left an EU airport, the national enforcement body in that country also takes complaints, usually once the airline has not replied within six weeks or you disagree with its answer.
• Court: small claims courts handle many of these cases. In England and Wales, the Court of Appeal confirmed a six-year limit in Dawson v Thomson Airways (2014). In Scotland the period is five years. For flights from the EU, the limit depends on the country where you bring the claim (EU Court of Justice, Moré, C-139/11).

One change to note: a revised EU regulation (2026/2202) applies from 23 October 2027 and asks passengers to submit compensation requests within nine months of the flight. It amends EU261 only; UK261 is separate UK law.

07Where BA claims tend to get stuck

A few situations make a BA claim harder than it needs to be. The flight was a codeshare, so the claim belongs with the airline that operated it. The route was from the EU to the UK, so two sets of rules overlap and you need to pick one. The reply cites extraordinary circumstances without saying what happened. Or expenses and compensation were sent as one request. None of these ends a claim, but each takes time and persistence to sort out.

08How StopDelay can help with your BA claim

If you'd rather not deal with it yourself, or BA has already said no, we can take over. We check your flight against the delay data and the rules first, so you know whether a claim is worth making. If you go ahead, you sign an authority for us to act for you. We then send the claim to British Airways, answer its objections, take it to CEDR or the regulator, and go to court where that makes sense.

If the claim doesn't succeed, you pay nothing. If it does, our success fee applies; you'll see it below and again before you sign. For more on your rights in general, see our passenger rights guides and FAQ.

09Questions

How do I claim British Airways delay compensation?

Use the ‘Start a new complaint or claim’ option on BA’s Complaints and claims page and choose compensation for a disrupted flight. Have your booking reference, flight number, date and the names of everyone on the booking ready. Claiming directly is free.

How late does my BA flight have to be?

You need to reach your final destination three hours or more after the scheduled arrival time. Arrival means the moment the aircraft doors open, not when the wheels touch the runway.

Can I get British Airways cancelled flight compensation?

Usually yes, if BA told you about the cancellation less than 14 days before departure and the cause was within its control. Whatever the notice, you can choose between a full refund and a replacement flight.

Does BA pay compensation when the delay was caused by a technical problem?

In most cases, yes. The EU Court of Justice has ruled that technical problems arising from normal aircraft operation are not extraordinary circumstances, and the UK CAA follows the same approach.

Is a strike by BA staff an extraordinary circumstance?

Not when it is BA’s own employees on strike: the EU Court of Justice ruled in 2021 that such strikes do not excuse the airline. Strikes by people who do not work for BA, such as air traffic controllers or airport staff, normally do.

Can I claim on an Avios reward flight?

Yes. The rules exclude passengers travelling free or on fares not available to the public, but they expressly include tickets issued under frequent flyer programmes.

How long do I have to make a BA compensation claim?

In England and Wales, court claims can generally be brought up to six years after the flight, and in Scotland five years. For flights from an EU airport the limit depends on the country whose courts hear the claim.

Can BA pay me in vouchers instead of money?

Only if you agree in writing. The regulation says compensation is paid in cash, by bank transfer or cheque, and vouchers or other services are allowed only with your signed agreement.

What can I do if British Airways rejects my claim?

BA is a member of CEDR, a dispute resolution body approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. BA says complaints must be referred to CEDR within 12 months. Going to court remains an option within the time limits.

Our fee: 30% incl. VAT, only if you get paid (+15% only if court action is needed).