Air Passenger Rights Under EC261/2004

To protect travelers from unexpected flight disruptions, the European Union introduced Regulation EC261. This law grants passengers the right to compensation in cases of long delays, last-minute cancellations, or denied boarding due to overbooking, provided the airline is at fault.

Under EC261 passengers are entitled to compensation of €250, €400, and €600 depending on the flight distance.

Passengers may be eligible if their flight arrives at least 3 hours late and the disruption is within the airline’s control.

EC261 does not apply when delays are caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s responsibility, such as bad weather, political instability, air traffic control strikes, security risks, etc. 

Following Brexit, the UK adopted EC261 into its national legislation. This means that travelers departing from or arriving in the UK continue to enjoy the same rights to compensation, under either the original EU regulation or the UK’s version, depending on their journey.