EC 261/2004 explained
EU 261 compensation explained without the legal jargon
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, an airline that disrupts your trip owes you a fixed cash sum and practical care. The rules cover every flight leaving the EU/EEA and flights into Europe on EU-based carriers.
- Covers delays, cancellations and bumping
- A set €250–€600, based on distance
- What you paid makes no difference
What is EU 261 compensation, exactly?
It is a set cash amount that Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 obliges airlines to pay when a covered flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked so that you can’t board. Flight distance decides whether you receive €250, €400 or €600, and what the ticket cost is irrelevant. Responsibility lies with the operating airline, codeshare flights included.
Scope
Flights the regulation applies to
Whether you’re protected comes down to your departure airport and the airline operating the flight.
- Every departure from an EU airport, or from Iceland, Norway or Switzerland.
- Arrivals into the EU/EEA, provided an EU/EEA airline operates the flight.
- The operating carrier answers for it, even if you bought via another brand or an online travel agent.
- On codeshares, responsibility usually falls on the airline actually flying the aircraft.
- Extraordinary circumstances, such as certain ATC strikes or severe weather, may lift the cash obligation, though not always the duty of care.
Payout table
EU 261 payouts in one view
The regulation itself fixes these sums. An airline may swap them for a lower-value voucher only with your agreement.
| Payout | Applies when |
|---|---|
| €250 | Routes up to 1,500 km where the delay, cancellation or bumping meets the threshold. |
| €400 | Routes of 1,500–3,500 km, with identical conditions for the disruption. |
| €600 | Routes beyond 3,500 km. For certain long-haul delays of 3–4 hours, the amount may be reduced. |
EU261, applied
The regulation pays out only when passengers claim.
You’ve read what the law says. Spend two minutes on your flight number and we’ll file, pursue and enforce the claim.
- Eligibility check at no cost
- No win, no fee
- Filed in two minutes
Making an EU 261 claim
Turning your rights into a payment
You can file on your own or hand the case to a specialist. Airlines’ first replies are often refusals, so evidence and follow-through matter.
Pin down what happened
Your final arrival delay, the cancellation notice or proof you were turned away.
Weigh up the airline’s excuse
We test the stated reason against weather, air traffic control and fleet records.
Claim from the operating airline
A formal claim first, then ADR or the national regulator, and court when necessary.
Receive the fixed sum
The statutory compensation, plus any care expenses the airline still owes you.
Common questions
Common EU 261 questions
The essentials passengers ask about the regulation.
More passenger guides
The flight went badly. The compensation is still on the table.
It takes less than two minutes to see whether your flight qualifies. If it does, we run the claim from start to finish, and our fee only applies once the airline has paid.