Why flights get delayed, and when you can claim
Flights get delayed for a handful of reasons, and the cause decides whether you are owed money. Delays within the airline’s control, such as technical faults, crew shortages and knock-on delays from an earlier flight, can pay 250 to 600 euro under EU261 or UK261 if you land 3 or more hours late. Extraordinary causes like severe weather or air traffic control strikes do not. The fastest way to check yours is Compensair. Verified July 9, 2026.
A delay feels random when you are stuck at the gate, but airlines and regulators sort the causes into a short list. Understanding which bucket your delay falls into is the whole game for compensation, because the rules only pay when the airline could have prevented it.
The main causes, and who is responsible
The most common single cause is the knock-on delay: one late aircraft or crew ripples through the rest of the day’s schedule. Weather and air traffic control congestion are next, then technical faults and crew issues. Many delays mix several of these, and the airline must show a genuinely extraordinary cause to avoid paying, not just point at the weather.
What this means for your claim
If you landed 3 or more hours late on a flight leaving the EU or UK, or an EU or UK airline arriving there, and the cause was within the airline’s control, you can claim 250 to 600 euro by distance. See the full EC 261/2004 rules for the detail, or estimate with our compensation calculator. Even when the cause is extraordinary and compensation is off the table, you keep the right to care and to a refund or re-routing.
Check your delay: our pick
Our pick to claim: Compensair
No-win-no-fee EU261 / UK261 claim service
No win, no fee
The cause of your delay decides whether you are owed money, and airlines often blame something extraordinary to avoid paying. Compensair checks your flight free and, if the delay was within the airline’s control and you landed 3 or more hours late, pursues the EU261 or UK261 claim no-win-no-fee, keeping about 30 percent of the payout (plus 10 percent only if a case needs legal action). Checked July 9, 2026.
Pros
- Free check of whether your delay qualifies
- No upfront cost; handles the airline paperwork
- Claims up to 600 euro per passenger where eligible
- Rated about 4.6/5 on Trustpilot (attributed, see above)
Cons
- Success fee of about 30 percent (plus 10 percent if legal action is needed)
- Truly extraordinary causes (bad weather, ATC strikes) are not payable
- Only worthwhile if you landed 3 or more hours late
Best for: Passengers delayed 3 or more hours by something the airline could control.
Related: the EU flight compensation hub, cancelled flights, and denied boarding.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common cause of flight delays?
The single biggest cause is knock-on delay: a late-arriving aircraft or crew from an earlier flight pushes back the next one. Weather, air traffic control congestion, technical faults and crew issues follow. Many delays combine several causes, which matters because some are the airline’s responsibility and some are not.
Can I get compensation for a delayed flight?
Under EU261 and UK261 you can if you landed 3 or more hours late, the flight left the EU or UK or was an EU or UK airline arriving there, and the cause was within the airline’s control. Technical faults, crew shortages and knock-on delays usually qualify; extraordinary causes like severe weather or air traffic control strikes do not.
Does a weather delay pay compensation?
Usually no. Severe weather is treated as an extraordinary circumstance beyond the airline’s control, so it removes the right to cash compensation. You still keep the right to care, meaning meals and accommodation, and to a refund or re-routing if the flight is cancelled. Only the compensation depends on the cause.
The airline blamed a technical fault. Can I still claim?
Often yes. Routine technical and maintenance faults are considered part of running an airline and within its control, so they do not count as extraordinary and compensation is usually due. Airlines sometimes label these delays as technical to avoid paying, so a refusal on those grounds is worth challenging.
This guide explains the rules in plain terms and is not legal advice; eligibility depends on your specific flight. Rules were verified on July 9, 2026 against EU sources.