---
title: "SriLankan Airlines delay statistics and cancellation rates"
url: https://flightcompensations.com/data/airlines/ul
updated: 2026-10-02
publisher: FlightCompensations
press: support@flightcompensations.com
summary: "2.0% of the SriLankan Airlines flights we observed in September 2026 reached the compensation threshold, against 1.5% across all airlines."
---

# SriLankan Airlines delay statistics

In September 2026, **2.0% of the 1,068 SriLankan Airlines flights we observed reached the compensation threshold**: three hours late or more at arrival, or cancelled. Among 167 airlines with 200 or more flights, SriLankan Airlines ranked 31st from the top. The average was 1.5%. These SriLankan Airlines delay statistics come from our own monitoring.

## How often was SriLankan Airlines delayed or cancelled, month by month?

Each row is one frozen monthly release, so the figures will not change. The rank compares SriLankan Airlines with the other airlines that had 200 or more observed flights that month; 1 is the highest rate.

| Month | Flights | Qualifying | Cancelled | Rate | Rank | All airlines |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [September 2026](/data/2026-09) | 1,068 | 21 | 16 | 2.0% | 31 of 167 | 1.5% |

## How does SriLankan Airlines compare with similar airlines in September 2026?

The airlines ranked just above and below SriLankan Airlines that month.

| Airline | Flights | Rate |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| [ITA Airways](/data/airlines/az) | 13,443 | 2.1% |
| [Vueling](/data/airlines/vy) | 21,157 | 2.0% |
| **SriLankan Airlines** | 1,068 | 2.0% |
| [Luxair](/data/airlines/lg) | 2,916 | 1.9% |
| [LATAM Airlines](/data/airlines/la) | 9,711 | 1.9% |

The full ranking is in the [airline delay rankings](/data/airlines).

## What are passengers owed when a SriLankan Airlines qualifies?

Under [Regulation (EC) No 261/2004](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj), a delay of three hours or more at arrival, or a late cancellation, can mean €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, by distance. SriLankan Airlines compensation follows the same rules as any other airline's. The airline can still refuse for extraordinary circumstances, such as a storm. SriLankan Airlines cancellations count from the day the airline cancels; the notice it gave decides each claim.

- Check one flight with the [compensation calculator](/flight-delay-compensation-calculator).
- Read the [EU261 guide](/passenger-rights/eu261) in plain language.
- Read our [SriLankan Airlines guide](/airlines/srilankan-airlines).
- [Start a claim](/claim) if your own flight was one of them.

The rules will change. The European Parliament approved a reform of EU261 on 7 July 2026, expected to apply from the second half of 2027. Until then the current rules stand.

## How were these SriLankan Airlines figures made?

We record the scheduled and actual times of passenger flights at a panel of monitored airports. A flight qualifies when it arrived three hours or more late, or was cancelled. Qualifying is not the same as owed. The panel is a sample, so every count is a floor, not the whole market. A codeshare counts once, under the airline that operates it. The [monthly release](/data/2026-09) explains the method in full.

## How can you cite these SriLankan Airlines delay statistics?

Quote any figure freely. Attribute it to FlightCompensations, link to https://flightcompensations.com/data/airlines/ul, and name the month. The data is also available as [CSV](/data/airlines/ul.csv) and [Markdown](/data/airlines/ul.md). For comment, Jaacov Sonenblick is available; write to support@flightcompensations.com.

## Frequently asked questions

### How often is SriLankan Airlines delayed?

In September 2026, 2.0% of the 1,068 SriLankan Airlines flights we observed arrived three hours or more late or were cancelled. Across all airlines we watched, the rate was 1.5%. The figures come from our own monitoring of a panel of airports, so they are a sample.

### Does a SriLankan Airlines delay mean I am owed compensation?

Not always. Under EU261 a delay of three hours or more at arrival, or a late cancellation, can mean €250 to €600 per passenger. The airline can still refuse for extraordinary circumstances, such as a storm. Our calculator checks one flight in a minute, using the same rules.

### How often are these SriLankan Airlines figures updated?

Once a month. Each month is frozen after it closes and its flights finalise, and the page adds it as a new row. Published months only change by a correction, which the monthly release lists with the old figures beside it.

## Sources

- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj

Read the full page at https://flightcompensations.com/data/airlines/ul