--- title: "Cathay Pacific Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation" url: https://flightcompensations.com/airlines/cathay-pacific author: "Jaacov Sonenblick" published: 2026-09-04 updated: 2026-10-06 publisher: FlightCompensations summary: "Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong carrier, so EU261 and UK261 cover only its flights leaving an EU/EEA or UK airport — not arrivals from Hong Kong." --- # Cathay Pacific flight delay and cancellation compensation Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong carrier, so EU261 and UK261 cover only its flights leaving an EU/EEA or UK airport — not arrivals from Hong Kong. **Cathay Pacific flight delay** compensation **is** up to €600 per passenger, or £520 from the UK, when a flight from Europe lands three or more hours late at your final destination. Only departures from EU/EEA or UK airports count. A Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong into Europe falls outside both EU261 and UK261. ## Does EU261 cover Cathay Pacific in both directions? Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, a member of the oneworld alliance, flying long-haul between its Hong Kong base and Europe, the Americas and Australia. It is **not an EU or UK carrier**, so your rights depend on the airport you leave from, not on the airline. Because Cathay Pacific holds no EU or UK licence, protection attaches to the **departure airport only**: - **Departing any EU/EEA airport on Cathay Pacific** — EU261 applies, as it does to any operating carrier leaving Europe. - **Departing the UK on Cathay Pacific** — UK261 applies. - **Arriving into the EU/EEA or the UK from Hong Kong** — **not covered**, because Cathay Pacific is not a Community carrier. Inbound flights need an EU airline under EU261, or a UK or EU airline under UK261. A London, Paris, Frankfurt or Amsterdam departure to Hong Kong is protected; the same route flown from Hong Kong into Europe is not. Because these are long-haul services, most eligible claims reach the highest band. ## What is a Cathay Pacific flight delay from Europe to Hong Kong worth? 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 Cathay Pacific departures from Europe to Hong Kong 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 Cathay Pacific 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: - **Cathay Pacific must prove the defence.** An unexplained reference to "operational reasons" or weather 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 in ordinary maintenance normally remain the airline's responsibility. ## How do you build a claim against Cathay Pacific? 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 does a Cathay Pacific claim cost with us? 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. ## How to claim Cathay Pacific compensation Start with the flight itself. Our [free flight check](/claim) reads the recorded times for your Cathay Pacific flight and tells you which band it falls in, in about two minutes. For the law behind the figure, the [flight delay compensation guide](/flight-delay-compensation) covers arrival delays and the [cancellation compensation guide](/flight-cancellation-compensation) covers a flight that never operated. If Cathay Pacific has already refused you, the [case law summary](/passenger-rights/case-law) sets out what the courts have said about the usual excuses. ## Frequently asked questions ### My Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to London was delayed. Can I claim? Generally no. Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong carrier rather than an EU or UK airline, so a flight arriving into the UK or the EU/EEA from Hong Kong is outside both EU261 and UK261. Only the departing leg from an EU/EEA or UK airport is covered, because protection follows the airport you leave from. ### How much is a delayed Cathay Pacific flight out of Europe worth? If it left an EU/EEA or UK airport and you arrived three or more hours late at your final destination, you are likely owed a fixed sum by distance — up to EUR 600, or GBP 520 for a UK departure. These are long-haul routes, so most eligible claims fall in the top band unless the airline can prove an extraordinary circumstance. ### Cathay Pacific rebooked me a day later. Am I owed anything beyond compensation? Yes, and the rights are separate. Where you are kept waiting the airline must provide meals and refreshments in proportion to the delay and, for an overnight wait, hotel accommodation and transfers. If nothing is offered at the airport, buy something reasonable and keep the receipts to claim alongside the fixed compensation. ## Sources - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32004R0261 - https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/ - https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-402/07 - https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-549/07 - https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-195/17 - https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-452/13 Read the full page with the claim check at https://flightcompensations.com/airlines/cathay-pacific