Airport compensation guides
EU261 and UK261 cover every flight leaving an EU, EEA or UK airport, whatever airline you flew. The hub you left from is the first thing that decides a delay or cancellation claim, and it also decides where a refused claim goes next. These airport compensation guides cover Europe’s busiest hubs.
Your rights depend on the airport you left from, not the one you were heading to. That makes the departure hub the first thing to establish after a disruption, and each guide starts there.
Why does the departure airport decide your claim?
EU261 attaches to the departure. Leave Frankfurt, Madrid or Dublin and the regulation covers your flight, whatever the carrier's nationality. Arrive at one of them from outside Europe and it applies only if the airline is European. That single fact settles most questions about whether a claim exists at all.
The airport also decides where a refused claim goes next. The national body of the country you left from enforces airport delay compensation: the LBA in Germany, AESA in Spain, the CAA in the UK. Each has its own procedure and its own deadline. The country guides set out that route in detail.
| Country you departed from | National enforcement body | Country guide |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | LBA | Germany flight compensation guide |
| Spain | AESA | Spain flight compensation guide |
| United Kingdom | CAA | UK261 rights guide |
To see where your own flight stands, run the free flight check. When the carrier matters more than the airport, the airline compensation guides cover each airline’s refusals.
Which airport compensation guides are available, A to Z?
Alicante-Elche Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Alicante-Elche Airport? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if the claim succeeds.
Read guideAmsterdam Schiphol Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Amsterdam Schiphol? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free check, fixed €39 success fee, nothing to pay up front.
Read guideAntalya Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Antalya is outside the EU, so which airline flies you decides whether EU261 reaches your departure. A flight from Europe to Antalya is always covered.
Read guideAthens International Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Athens International Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check, fixed €39 fee only if we win.
Read guideBarcelona El Prat Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Barcelona El Prat? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check, fixed €39 success fee, no win no fee.
Read guideBelfast International Flight Delay and Cancellation
Every flight out of Belfast International is a UK departure, so UK261 covers it whatever the airline. The sums run £220 to £520 a passenger.
Read guideBerlin Brandenburg Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Berlin Brandenburg? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideBirmingham Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Birmingham Airport? UK261 can pay £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover.
Read guideBristol Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Bristol Airport? UK261 can be worth £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideBrussels Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Brussels Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover.
Read guideBucharest Otopeni Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Bucharest Otopeni is in Romania, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The claim deadline here is shorter than in the UK, so act promptly.
Read guideBudapest Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Budapest is in Hungary, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The claim deadline here is shorter than in the UK, so act promptly.
Read guideCardiff Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Every flight out of Cardiff is a UK departure, so UK261 covers it whatever the airline. The sums run £220 to £520 a passenger.
Read guideCatania Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Catania is an Italian airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it, and pays €250 to €600 a passenger.
Read guideCopenhagen Kastrup Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Copenhagen Kastrup? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideCorfu Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Corfu is a Greek airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. Northern European routes sit in the €400 band.
Read guideCork Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Cork is Ireland's second airport, flying to the UK and Europe on Aer Lingus and Ryanair. EU261 covers every departure, whoever operates it.
Read guideDublin Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Dublin Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover.
Read guideDüsseldorf Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Düsseldorf Airport? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideEdinburgh Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Edinburgh Airport? UK261 can pay £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideFaro Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Faro is Portugal's Algarve airport and heavily British and Irish. EU261 covers every departure, and a delayed holiday flight home carries €250 to €600 a passenger.
Read guideFrankfurt Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Frankfurt Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideGeneva Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Geneva Airport? EC261 applies in Switzerland and can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideGlasgow Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Held up at Glasgow Airport? UK261 can be worth £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideGran Canaria Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Gran Canaria is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. UK and northern European routes run about 2,800 km, which puts them in the €400 band.
Read guideHamburg Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Hamburg Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover.
Read guideHeraklion Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Heraklion is a Greek airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. Northern European routes sit in the €400 band.
Read guideIbiza Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Ibiza is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The three bands are €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 to 3,500 km and €600 beyond.
Read guideIstanbul Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Istanbul is outside the EU, so which airline flies you decides whether EU261 reaches your departure. A flight from Europe to Istanbul is always covered.
Read guideKraków Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Kraków is in Poland, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The claim deadline here is shorter than in the UK, so act promptly.
Read guideLanzarote Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Lanzarote is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. UK routes run about 2,900 km, which puts them in the €400 band.
Read guideLeeds Bradford Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Every flight out of Leeds Bradford is a UK departure, so UK261 covers it whatever the airline. The sums run £220 to £520 a passenger.
Read guideLisbon Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free check and a fixed €39 fee only if the claim succeeds.
Read guideLiverpool Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Every flight out of Liverpool is a UK departure, so UK261 covers it whatever the airline. The sums run £220 to £520 a passenger.
Read guideLondon Gatwick Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Held up at London Gatwick? UK261 can be worth £220 to £520 per passenger. Check your flight free and pay a single €39 fee only if the claim succeeds.
Read guideLondon Heathrow Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at London Heathrow? Under UK261 you could be owed £220 to £520. Free eligibility check, and a fixed €39 fee only if we win.
Read guideLondon Luton Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at London Luton? UK261 can pay £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover money.
Read guideLondon Stansted Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Held up at London Stansted? UK261 can be worth £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideMadrid Barajas Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Madrid Barajas? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideManchester Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Manchester Airport? UK261 can pay £220 to £520 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideMilan Malpensa Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Milan Malpensa? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee charged only if your claim wins.
Read guideMunich Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Munich Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover.
Read guideMálaga-Costa del Sol Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check, fixed €39 fee only if we win.
Read guideNaples Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Naples is an Italian airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it, and pays €250 to €600 a passenger.
Read guideNewcastle Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Every flight out of Newcastle is a UK departure, so UK261 covers it whatever the airline. The sums run £220 to £520 a passenger.
Read guideNice Côte d'Azur Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Nice Côte d'Azur? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideOslo Gardermoen Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Oslo Gardermoen? EU261 applies in Norway and can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we win.
Read guidePalma de Mallorca Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Palma de Mallorca Airport? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideParis Charles de Gaulle Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Paris Charles de Gaulle? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only when we recover money.
Read guideParis Orly Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Paris Orly? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover your money.
Read guidePorto Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Porto Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover money.
Read guidePrague Václav Havel Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Prague Václav Havel Airport? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideRhodes Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Rhodes is a Greek airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. Northern European routes sit in the €400 band.
Read guideRome Fiumicino Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Rome Fiumicino? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideSeville Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Seville is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The three bands are €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 to 3,500 km and €600 beyond.
Read guideStockholm Arlanda Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Delayed or cancelled at Stockholm Arlanda? EU261 can be worth €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guideTel Aviv Ben Gurion Flight Delay and Cancellation
Ben Gurion sits outside the EU, so which airline flies you decides whether EU261 reaches your departure — while Israel's own Aviation Services Law covers every flight in and out.
Read guideTenerife South Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Tenerife South is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. UK and northern European routes from Tenerife run about 2,900 km, which puts them in the €400 band.
Read guideThessaloniki Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Thessaloniki is a Greek airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. Northern European routes sit in the €400 band.
Read guideValencia Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Valencia is a Spanish airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it. The three bands are €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 to 3,500 km and €600 beyond.
Read guideVenice Marco Polo Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Venice Marco Polo is an Italian airport, so EU261 covers every departure whoever flies it, and pays €250 to €600 a passenger.
Read guideVienna International Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Delayed or cancelled at Vienna International Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check, fixed €39 fee only if we win.
Read guideWarsaw Chopin Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation
Disrupted at Warsaw Chopin Airport? EU261 can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free eligibility check and one fixed €39 fee only when we recover money.
Read guideZurich Airport Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Disrupted at Zurich Airport? EC261 applies in Switzerland and can pay €250 to €600 per passenger. Free check and a fixed €39 fee only if we recover.
Read guide
What do passengers ask about airport compensation?
Does my claim depend on the departure or the arrival airport?
Mostly the departure. Any flight leaving an EU, EEA or UK airport is covered whatever the airline. Arriving into the EU from outside it, the flight is covered only when an EU or EEA airline operated it; arriving into the UK, a UK or EU airline counts under UK261.
The airport was at fault, not the airline. Can I still claim?
Care yes, compensation usually not. Airport-side causes, such as a security or ground-handler strike, usually count as extraordinary circumstances and remove the fixed payment. Meals, refreshments and a hotel are still owed while you wait.
Where do I complain if the airline ignores me?
To the national enforcement body of the country you departed from. Each has its own form and time limit, and some, like Spain's AESA, issue decisions that bind the airline.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route