Air India flight delay and cancellation compensation

Your rights on an Air India flight

Air India is the flag carrier of India, a member of the Star Alliance, flying long-haul routes between India and Europe, North America and Asia. It is not an EU or UK carrier, so your rights depend on the airport you leave from, not on the airline.

Because Air India holds no EU or UK licence, protection attaches to the departure airport only:

• Departing any EU/EEA airport on Air India — EU261 applies, as it does to any operating carrier leaving Europe.
• Departing the UK on Air India — UK261 applies.
• Arriving into the EU/EEA or the UK from India — not covered, because Air India is not a Community carrier and the inbound limb requires an EU or UK airline.

A London, Paris, Frankfurt or Milan departure to India is protected; the same route flown from India into Europe is not. Because these are long-haul services, most eligible claims reach the highest band.

How much you could receive

The sum is set by route distance, not by the fare or the cabin, and each passenger with a confirmed booking claims separately.

• EUR 250 — flights of 1,500 km or less
• EUR 400 — flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km
• EUR 600 — flights over 3,500 km, which covers most Air India departures from Europe to India

UK261 claims use GBP 220 / GBP 350 / GBP 520. Under Article 7(2), the airline may halve the top figure where a re-routed long-haul flight arrives under four hours late, so the arrival time at your final destination is worth checking.

When Air India doesn't have to pay

Compensation falls away where the airline proves extraordinary circumstances outside its control and unavoidable even with all reasonable measures — severe weather, ATC restrictions, airport closures, security incidents or a bird strike.

Two things are commonly misstated:

• Air India must prove the defence. An unexplained "operational reasons" or weather line is not evidence, and should be tested against the conditions actually recorded that day.
• Own-crew strikes are generally not extraordinary, whereas strikes by air-traffic controllers or third-party airport staff usually are.

Routine technical faults found during ordinary maintenance normally remain the airline's responsibility, even when described as unforeseeable.

How to claim from Air India

Keep the booking reference, boarding passes for each leg, and any email or app notification of the change. For a missed connection, record the actual arrival time at your final destination rather than the delay on the first sector.

We handle the submission, the follow-up and any appeal, and we tell you plainly if a defence is likely to hold.

What it costs

The eligibility check is free. If we recover your compensation we charge a fixed EUR 39 success fee — the same whether you're owed EUR 250 or EUR 600 — and the airline's payment goes to you. No win, no fee.