Malaysia Airlines flight delay and cancellation compensation

Is a Malaysia Airlines flight delay from London covered?

A Malaysia Airlines flight delay on the Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur route is usually worth £520 per passenger under UK261, or €600 on an EU or EEA departure. The Kuala Lumpur to London return earns nothing. You qualify after a three-hour delay at your final destination, a cancellation with under 14 days' notice, or involuntary denied boarding.

Malaysia Airlines (MH) is the flag carrier of Malaysia and a oneworld member, hubbed at Kuala Lumpur with London Heathrow as its European gateway. It is not an EU or UK carrier, so your rights turn on the airport you leave from, not on the airline.

Because Malaysia Airlines holds no EU or UK operating licence, coverage lands on the departure side only:

• Departing the UK on Malaysia Airlines — UK261, the retained British version of the rules, applies.
• Departing any EU/EEA airport on Malaysia Airlines — EU261 applies.
• Arriving into the UK or the EU/EEA from Kuala Lumpur — not covered, because Malaysia Airlines is not a Community carrier. Inbound flights need an EU airline under EU261, or a UK or EU airline under UK261.

So the London Heathrow departure to Kuala Lumpur is protected; the same aircraft flying Kuala Lumpur to Heathrow is not. The route is comfortably over 3,500 km, so eligible claims sit in the top compensation band.

The triggers are a delay of three hours or more at your final destination, a cancellation with under 14 days' notice, or involuntary denied boarding.

How much does Malaysia Airlines owe on the Heathrow route?

The amount is fixed 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 the London to Kuala Lumpur route

UK261 claims use the sterling bands of GBP 220 / GBP 350 / GBP 520, so a delayed Heathrow departure is usually worth GBP 520.

When Malaysia Airlines doesn't have to pay

There is no compensation where the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures — severe weather, air-traffic-control restrictions, airport closures, security alerts or a bird strike.

Two points are widely misunderstood:

• The airline carries the burden of proof. A one-line message citing "operational reasons" is an assertion, not evidence.
• A strike by Malaysia Airlines' own crew is generally not extraordinary, while strikes by third parties — air-traffic controllers, airport handlers — usually are.

Routine technical faults found during ordinary maintenance normally remain the airline's responsibility.

How do you claim from Malaysia Airlines?

Keep the booking reference, your boarding pass, and any message announcing the delay or cancellation. Ask, in writing, for the reason.

We handle the submission, the follow-up and any appeal from start to finish.

What fee applies to a Malaysia Airlines claim?

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 Malaysia Airlines compensation

Start with the flight itself. Our free flight check reads the recorded times for your Malaysia Airlines flight and tells you which band it falls in, in about two minutes.

For the law behind the figure, the flight delay compensation guide covers arrival delays and the cancellation compensation guide covers a flight that never operated. If Malaysia Airlines has already refused you, the case law summary sets out what the courts have said about the usual excuses.