British Airways delay compensation: delays, cancellations and what you can claim
If British Airways delayed you 3 or more hours or cancelled your flight with less than 14 days notice, and it was BA's fault, you can claim 220 to 520 pounds under UK261 (or 250 to 600 euro under EU261 on EU departures). BA often points to extraordinary circumstances, but many of those refusals can be challenged. The easiest route is Compensair, a free check on a no-win-no-fee basis. Rules verified August 9, 2026.
British Airways is a UK carrier, so most of its disruptions fall under UK261, the version of EU261 the UK kept after Brexit. The rights are the same in substance: fixed cash compensation for long delays, cancellations and denied boarding that are within the airline's control. Here is how much BA owes and how to get it.
One thing worth correcting, because "an identical copy in pounds" is the usual shorthand and it is not quite right. The instrument that converted the regulation, the Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, did two things to Article 7. It swapped the euro figures for £220, £350 and £520, and it deleted the phrase "intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres and for all other". So UK261 runs on distance alone, while EU261 still keeps a special case in which a long flight between two EU airports pays the middle band rather than the top one. For a BA passenger it means the UK table below reads exactly as it looks, with no exception hiding under it.
How much BA owes
British Airways compensation for a delayed flight is set by distance, not by ticket price. These are the UK261 amounts per passenger when your arrival is three hours or more late.
| Flight distance | UK261 (per passenger) | EU departures |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 220 pounds | 250 euro |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 350 pounds | 400 euro |
| Over 3,500 km | 520 pounds | 600 euro |
When your BA flight qualifies
- Delay: you arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours late.
- Cancellation: BA told you less than 14 days before departure.
- Denied boarding: you were bumped from an overbooked BA flight.
- Fault: the cause was within BA's control (a technical fault or crew strike usually counts; weather or air traffic control strikes do not).
- Route: any departure from the UK, or a BA flight arriving in the UK or EU (UK261); EU departures fall under EU261.
Claim it: our pick
Our pick to claim against BA: Compensair
No-win-no-fee UK261 / EU261 claim service
No win, no fee
If British Airways delayed you 3 or more hours, cancelled with under 14 days notice, or bumped you, and the cause was within its control, you are likely owed 220 to 520 pounds. Compensair checks your BA flight for free and, if it qualifies, handles the claim and any escalation with the airline. You pay nothing up front; its success fee is 35 percent, with an extra 10 percent only if legal action is needed. Checked August 9, 2026.
Pros
- Free BA eligibility check, no upfront cost
- Handles BA paperwork and escalation for you
- Claims the full UK261 or EU261 amount where eligible
- Rated about 4.5/5 on Trustpilot (attributed)
Cons
- Success fee of 35 percent (plus 10 percent if legal action needed)
- Payouts can take time, especially if BA disputes the claim
- Only worthwhile if the disruption was within BA control
Best for: BA passengers who want the money without writing letters and chasing the airline.
Claiming directly vs using a service
You can claim from BA yourself at no cost: send its customer service form your booking reference, flight number and the scheduled versus actual arrival times, citing UK261. BA usually replies within 30 days, and if it wrongly refuses you can escalate to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, an ADR scheme or small claims court. That takes time and persistence. A no-win-no-fee service like Compensair does the chasing for a share of the payout, which many travelers prefer when BA disputes a claim.
Frequently asked questions
How much is British Airways delay compensation?
Under UK261 the amount depends on distance: 220 pounds for flights up to 1,500 km, 350 pounds for 1,500 to 3,500 km, and 520 pounds for over 3,500 km, when you arrive 3 or more hours late or the flight is cancelled and BA is at fault. Flights from the EU on BA are paid in euro at the 250, 400 and 600 euro bands.
When is a BA flight eligible for compensation?
When you reach your destination 3 or more hours late, the flight is cancelled with less than 14 days notice, or you are denied boarding, and the cause was within BA control. UK261 covers all departures from the UK plus BA flights arriving in the UK or EU; EU departures are covered by EU261.
How do I claim compensation from British Airways?
You can claim directly through the BA customer service form with your booking reference, flight number and the scheduled versus actual arrival times, and BA usually replies within 30 days. If it refuses wrongly you can escalate to the UK CAA, an ADR scheme or small claims court. A no-win-no-fee service like Compensair does all of this for you.
Do BA strikes count as extraordinary circumstances?
Not always. Strikes by BA’s own staff are generally treated as within the airline’s control, so compensation is usually due, while external strikes such as air traffic control action are extraordinary and exempt. BA often cites extraordinary circumstances, but many such refusals can be challenged successfully. Note that the EU reform adopted in July 2026 writes a narrow strike exception into EU law, and it does not amend UK261, so BA claims under the UK rules are unaffected by it.
See our full EU and UK flight compensation guide for the rules in detail. Before you hand a claim over, our Compensair review covers what the service costs and when claiming yourself is the better move.