--- title: "Qantas Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation" url: https://flightcompensations.com/airlines/qantas author: "Jaacov Sonenblick" published: 2026-09-04 updated: 2026-10-06 publisher: FlightCompensations summary: "Qantas is an Australian carrier, so EU261 and UK261 cover only its flights leaving an EU/EEA or UK airport — not arrivals into Europe." --- # Qantas flight delay and cancellation compensation Qantas is an Australian carrier, so EU261 and UK261 cover only its flights leaving an EU/EEA or UK airport — not arrivals into Europe. **Qantas flight delay** compensation **is** up to €600 per passenger from an EU/EEA airport, or £520 from the UK, when you reach your final destination three or more hours late. Only flights leaving Europe qualify. Qantas is an Australian carrier, so a flight arriving into London or another European airport falls outside both schemes. ## Is a Qantas flight arriving into London covered by UK261? Qantas is the flag carrier of Australia, a member of the oneworld alliance, flying long-haul routes that connect Australia with Europe via a small number of European gateways. It is **not an EU or UK carrier**, so your rights depend on the airport you leave from, not on the airline. Because Qantas holds no EU or UK licence, protection attaches to the **departure airport only**: - **Departing any EU/EEA airport on Qantas** — EU261 applies, as it does to any operating carrier leaving Europe. - **Departing the UK on Qantas** — UK261 applies. - **Arriving into the EU/EEA or the UK on Qantas** — **not covered**, because Qantas is not a Community carrier. Inbound flights need an EU airline under EU261, or a UK or EU airline under UK261. A London departure onward toward Australia is protected; the same aircraft arriving into London is not. Because Qantas' European services are ultra-long-haul, most eligible claims sit firmly in the top band. ## How much is a Qantas flight delay out of Europe worth? The figure 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 Qantas departures from Europe UK261 claims use **GBP 220 / GBP 350 / GBP 520**. Under **Article 7(2)**, the airline may pay half the top figure where a re-routed long-haul flight arrives under four hours late, so the exact arrival time at your final destination matters. ## When Qantas doesn't have to pay No compensation is due where the airline proves **extraordinary circumstances** that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures — severe weather, ATC flow restrictions, airport closures, security incidents or a bird strike. Two points are widely misunderstood: - **The airline carries the burden of proof.** A generic "operational reasons" line is an assertion, not evidence. - **A strike by the airline's own crew is generally not extraordinary**, while strikes by third parties such as air-traffic controllers or airport handlers usually are. Routine technical faults found during ordinary maintenance normally remain the airline's responsibility. ## What should you keep for a Qantas claim? Keep the booking reference, boarding passes for every leg, and any message announcing the delay or cancellation. For a missed connection, note the actual arrival time at your final destination — that is the figure the regulation uses. We prepare and run the claim, chase the airline and handle any appeal from start to finish. ## What does a Qantas claim cost? 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 Qantas compensation Start with the flight itself. Our [free flight check](/claim) reads the recorded times for your Qantas 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 Qantas 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 ### Is my Qantas flight arriving into London covered by UK261? No. Qantas is an Australian carrier, not an EU or UK airline, so a flight arriving into the UK or the EU/EEA on Qantas is outside both UK261 and EU261. Only a leg departing an EU/EEA or UK airport is protected, because coverage attaches to the airport you leave from. ### My Qantas flight from London was delayed more than three hours. What am I owed? If it departed a UK or EU/EEA airport and you reached your final destination three or more hours late, you are likely owed a fixed sum set by distance — up to GBP 520 for a UK departure or EUR 600 for an EU one. These are ultra-long-haul routes, so most eligible claims fall in the top band unless the airline can prove an extraordinary circumstance. ### Does flying Business or First on Qantas change the compensation? No. The amount is fixed by route distance, not by cabin or fare, so a premium passenger and an economy passenger on the same delayed departure are owed the same figure. It is separate from any refund and is paid on top of it. ## 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/qantas