Methodology

How the verdict is produced, and where its limits are. (As of 2026-10-05.)

Eligibility

We apply the rule for the departure region: flights from the UK fall under UK261, flights from the EU under EU261, and flights into the UK/EU on a UK/EU airline are covered too. A claim is likely when arrival delay is 3 hours or more (or the flight was cancelled with under 14 days’ notice) and the cause was within the airline’s control.

Amounts

Fixed by great-circle flight distance: £220/£350/£520 (UK261) and €250/€400/€600 (EU261) for the up-to-1,500 km, 1,500–3,500 km and over-3,500 km bands. Delays of 3–4 hours on the longest band can be halved.

Data sources

Rules from the UK CAA and EU Regulation 261/2004. Live flight status from a third-party aviation data provider (recent flights). Distances computed from published airport coordinates.

Honest limits

• Live lookup covers roughly the last 6 months; older flights use the manual calculator.
• We cannot see the airline’s reason, so “extraordinary circumstances” can void an otherwise-eligible claim. Our verdict is a likelihood, not a guarantee.
• Amounts and rules can change (EU261 is under review); we date every figure and re-verify it.