Flight delayed or cancelled: what to do, how much compensation you can get and how to claim it (2026)
Mykyta Dzhus · Updated 2026-11-01 · 12 min read · Travel tips
Your flight is five hours late or was cancelled the day before departure. Most passengers walk away with a sandwich voucher, although EU rules may owe them up to €600 each. Step by step: what to do at the airport, when compensation is really due, which laws apply in Turkey, Thailand, the UAE and the US, how to write to the airline yourself and when a claim company is worth it.
Contents
- In short
- The first 30 minutes: what to do at the airport
- Delay, cancellation, schedule change: the difference
- EU rules (EU261): when they apply
- How much EU261 pays
- Extraordinary circumstances: when the airline does not pay
- The EU261 reform: what changes from late 2027
- Turkey: the SHY rules
- Thailand: new rules since May 2025
- UAE, Egypt, US: no compensation, but you still have rights
- How to claim yourself, step by step
- Deadlines for claiming
- Claim companies compared
- Typical cases
- Lost or damaged baggage
- Sources
- Mobile data when your flight is delayed
In short
- Flight from the EU, or into the EU on a European airline, arriving 3+ hours late, cancelled less than 14 days before departure, or you were denied boarding: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, depending on distance.
- Nothing is due for extraordinary circumstances: weather, air traffic control strikes, closed airspace, a bird strike. Technical faults and strikes by the airline's own staff do not count as extraordinary.
- While you wait, the airline must feed you, and pay for a hotel and transfer if you have to stay overnight. That applies whatever caused the delay.
- Turkey: €100–600 for cancellations under its own SHY rules. Thailand: 1,200–4,500 baht for delays of 5+ hours. UAE, Egypt, US: no fixed compensation, but meals and refunds.
- Claiming yourself is free; services such as AirHelp or Compensair keep 30–35% (up to 50% if it goes to court).
The first 30 minutes: what to do at the airport
- Photograph the departures board with the flight number and new time; keep your boarding pass and every text and email from the airline.
- Ask for the reason at the airline desk and ask them to put it in writing. Whether you get compensation depends on it. Write down «technical reasons» word for word.
- Ask for meals. After 2 hours on short flights, 3 on medium and 4 on long ones the airline must give food and drink, usually a voucher. If it does not, buy reasonable food yourself and keep the receipts.
- If the flight moves to tomorrow, the airline pays for a hotel and the transfer. If it does not arrange one, book a reasonable hotel yourself and keep the bill.
- Do not sign anything or accept a voucher if you want money. A voucher instead of compensation is only ever your choice.
- Do not leave the airport until the flight is officially cancelled. If it does fly and you are not on board, there is nothing to claim.
- Stay connected. Airlines send new flight times, rebookings and vouchers by text, in their app and by email, and airport Wi-Fi often collapses during mass delays.
Delay, cancellation, schedule change: the difference
- Delay: the flight operates, just later. What counts is the arrival time, the moment the aircraft doors open at the destination, not touchdown.
- Cancellation: the flight does not operate and you are moved to another one. Compensation depends on how much notice you got and how different the new flight is.
- Schedule change: EU courts often treat a big change made in advance as a cancellation.
- Denied boarding because of overbooking: the same compensation as a cancellation, plus a refund or another flight of your choice.
EU rules (EU261): when they apply
Regulation 261/2004 is the strongest air passenger protection in the world, but it does not cover every flight:
| Flight | Does EU261 apply? |
|---|---|
| Departing from an EU airport, any airline (Wizz Air, Ryanair, LOT, Turkish, Emirates…) | Yes |
| Arriving in the EU on a European airline (e.g. Hurghada → Kraków with Enter Air or Wizz Air) | Yes |
| Arriving in the EU on a non-European airline (e.g. Antalya → Warsaw with Pegasus) | No, the rules of the departure country apply |
| A flight outside the EU (Dubai → Bangkok) | No |
Norway, Iceland and Switzerland apply the same rules. The UK has kept an almost identical copy, UK261, with amounts in pounds (£220, £350, £520).
Connections. If the whole trip is one booking, the delay at the final destination counts. Warsaw → Istanbul → Bangkok on one Turkish Airlines ticket starts in the EU, so EU261 covers the whole journey even if you missed the connection in Istanbul.
How much EU261 pays
| Flight distance | Examples | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | Warsaw → Barcelona, Berlin → Rome | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | Kraków → Hurghada, Munich → Antalya, Madrid → Tenerife | €400 |
| over 3,500 km | Warsaw → Dubai, Frankfurt → Bangkok | €600 |
The amount does not depend on the ticket price: €400 is due even on a €19 ticket. Every passenger is paid, including children with their own seat.
- Delay: 3 hours or more on arrival.
- Cancellation: notice of less than 14 days. With 7–13 days' notice nothing is due if the new flight leaves no more than 2 hours earlier and arrives no more than 4 hours later; with less than 7 days, no more than 1 hour earlier and 2 hours later.
- Compensation can be cut by 50% if the airline reroutes you and you arrive no more than 2, 3 or 4 hours late (depending on distance).
- Refund for a cancelled flight or a delay of more than 5 hours if you decide not to fly: within 7 days, in money. A voucher only if you agree.
Extraordinary circumstances: when the airline does not pay
The main reason claims are refused. The airline owes no compensation if it proves the delay could not have been avoided. It still owes meals and a hotel.
| Not paid | Paid |
|---|---|
| Weather that makes flying unsafe (storm, fog, snow on the runway) | A technical fault, even a sudden one |
| Strikes by air traffic control, airport or security staff | Strikes by the airline's own pilots and cabin crew |
| Closed airspace, war, security threats | Crew shortages, a sick pilot |
| Bird strike, lightning | The aircraft's previous flight delayed by a technical problem |
| A dangerous passenger | Overbooking, «operational reasons» |
The EU Court of Justice drew these lines: technical problems do not release the airline (Wallentin-Hermann, 2008), nor does a wildcat strike by its own staff (Krüsemann, 2018), while a bird strike does (Pešková, 2017). If the airline just writes «extraordinary circumstances», ask what exactly happened.
The EU261 reform: what changes from late 2027
In June 2026 the European Parliament and the Council agreed on updated rules, adopted for good in July. They should apply from the second half of 2027. The essentials:
- Amounts and thresholds stay: the same €250, €400 and €600 from a 3-hour delay. The proposal to pay only after 4–6 hours was dropped.
- Claim deadline: 9 months from the flight. Today it depends on the country and can be up to 6 years.
- Rerouting on any transport: the airline must offer the fastest option, even a competitor's flight, a train or a bus.
- Tarmac delays: after 2 hours on board with the doors closed, the aircraft must return to the gate and let passengers off.
- Vouchers cannot be imposed, and an unused voucher turns into cash after 12 months.
- A free personal item up to 40×30×15 cm in the cabin.
Until then the current rules and national deadlines apply.
Turkey: the SHY rules
Turkey has its own version of EU261, the SHY regulation. It covers all flights from Turkish airports and flights into Turkey by Turkish airlines (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AJet, SunExpress).
| Flight | Compensation for cancellation or denied boarding |
|---|---|
| Domestic | €100 |
| International up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (Antalya → Warsaw) | €400 |
| over 3,500 km | €600 |
A delay under SHY gives drinks, meals after 2–4 hours (by distance), a hotel if you stay overnight, and after 5 hours you may give up the flight and get your money back. Unlike EU261, SHY does not clearly set a cash payment for delays.
In practice: a flight from the EU to Turkey on any airline is covered by EU261. A flight from Turkey to the EU with Pegasus or Turkish falls under SHY, with Wizz Air or a European charter under EU261.
Thailand: new rules since May 2025
Since 20 May 2025 Thailand applies Civil Aviation Board Notification No. 101 to all flights from Thai airports.
| Situation | Domestic flight | International flight |
|---|---|---|
| Delay of 2+ hours | food and drinks | food, drinks, communication |
| Delay of 5+ hours | 1,200 baht | 1,500 baht + hotel if needed |
| Delay of 10+ hours | 2,000 / 3,500 / 4,500 baht by distance (up to 1,500 / 3,500 / over 3,500 km) | |
| Cancellation | 1,500 baht | as for a 10-hour delay |
The money is due within 14 days; the airline may offer a voucher or miles instead, but only of at least the same value and with your consent. With 7 days' notice of a cancellation, or a replacement within 3 hours of the original time, nothing is due. After 3 hours on the tarmac with no take-off time, passengers must be allowed off.
UAE, Egypt, US: no compensation, but you still have rights
- UAE (Emirates, flydubai, Etihad, Air Arabia): GCAA Regulation No. 1 of 2020. No fixed payouts, but meals, a hotel for overnight delays, and a choice between a refund and another flight when cancelled. A flight from the EU on the same airlines is still covered by EU261, up to €600.
- Egypt: no compensation law, the Montreal Convention applies (proven losses). A charter from the EU to Hurghada on a European airline, and the return on the same airline, are covered by EU261.
- US: since 2024 airlines must refund automatically for a cancellation or significant change (3+ hours on domestic, 6+ hours on international flights) if you do not travel. There is no cash compensation for the delay itself.
- The Montreal Convention applies almost everywhere: proven losses caused by a delay (a lost hotel night, a missed transfer) up to 6,303 SDR, baggage up to 1,519 SDR (about €1,900).
How to claim yourself, step by step
- Check you are eligible: departure and arrival airports, airline, hours late on arrival, the reason given.
- Use the form on the airline's website. Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT and Turkish Airlines have dedicated EU261 forms. Attach the boarding pass, booking, photo of the board, receipts.
- Ask for money, not a voucher. Credit or bonus points are your choice, not an obligation.
- Wait up to 6–8 weeks. Challenge a bare «extraordinary circumstances» reply: ask for details and evidence.
- Complain to the regulator. If refused or ignored, write to the national enforcement body of the country where the disruption happened: ULC in Poland, SÖP in Germany, AESA in Spain, the CAA or AviationADR in the UK. It is free.
- Court. For a few thousand euros most EU countries offer a simplified procedure, including the European Small Claims Procedure.
A short template (accepted by every airline):
Flight [number] on [date] from [origin] to [destination] arrived [N] hours late / was cancelled. Under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 I am entitled to compensation of €[250/400/600] per passenger. Please pay it to [IBAN] within 14 days. Booking reference: [code]. Passengers: [names]. Attached: boarding passes, booking, receipts.
Deadlines for claiming
Until the reform applies, the deadline follows the law of the country where you sue, usually the departure country or the airline's home country.
| Country | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Poland | 1 year, the shortest among popular ones |
| Italy, Hungary | 2 years |
| Germany, Lithuania | 3 years |
| Spain, France | 5 years |
| United Kingdom | 6 years |
After the reform the deadline will be 9 months across the EU.
Claim companies compared
These services take over the case: they write to the airline, fight refusals and go to court if needed. You pay only from the money won.
| Service | Fee | If it goes to court | You get from €400 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yourself | 0% | court fee, often refunded | €400 |
| Compensair | 30% | +10% | €280 |
| AirHelp | 35% incl. VAT | +15% | €260 |
| Flightright | 20–30% + VAT | +14% + VAT | ≈ €260–300 |
| Skycop | check their site | check |
Our advice. Write to the airline yourself first: when the reason is obvious (a technical fault, overbooking), the money often arrives without a middleman. A service makes sense when the airline refuses or stays silent for more than 6 weeks, when you do not want to argue in a foreign language, or when the case is clearly heading to court. Of the options we checked, Compensair has the lowest base fee: 30% against 35% at AirHelp. Frequent flyers can take AirHelp's yearly plan from €29.99 and pay no fee.
Typical cases
- Wizz Air, Kraków → Hurghada, 4 hours late, technical fault. Departure from the EU, over 3 hours, not extraordinary: €400 each.
- Ryanair cancels 10 days ahead and offers a flight 5 hours later. Less than 14 days' notice and arrival more than 4 hours later: compensation is due.
- Turkish Airlines, Warsaw → Istanbul → Bangkok on one ticket, 7 hours late at the end because the first flight was late. The journey started in the EU: €600.
- Pegasus, Antalya → Warsaw, 5 hours late. A Turkish airline from Turkey, so no EU261. Under SHY: food, drinks and the right to cancel with a refund.
- Domestic flight in Thailand, Bangkok → Phuket, 6 hours late. 1,200 baht under Thai rules unless the cause is extraordinary.
- Delay because of a thunderstorm. No compensation, but meals and a hotel are owed.
- French air traffic control strike. No compensation. A strike by the airline's own pilots: yes.
Lost or damaged baggage
- Before leaving the baggage hall, file a PIR report at the Lost & Found desk.
- Written claim: damage within 7 days, delayed baggage within 21 days of receiving it.
- Keep receipts for essentials (clothes, toiletries) bought while the bag is missing: they are reimbursed.
- Montreal Convention limit: 1,519 SDR, about €1,900 per passenger.
Sources
Facts checked on 1 November 2026. Laws and fees change, so check the current terms before you claim.
- Regulation (EC) 261/2004
- AirHelp: the 2026 EU261 reform
- Compensair: Turkey's SHY rules
- The Nation: Thailand's new rules (2025)
- AirHelp: fees
- UK CAA: passenger rights
- US DOT: refunds
Mobile data when your flight is delayed
During a disruption the airline sends the new flight by text, email and in its app, and you have minutes to grab a seat with another airline or a hotel room before they are gone. Airport Wi-Fi barely works at such moments. A travel eSIM gives you mobile data right after landing and at the connecting airport, while your own SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts. Prices: Turkey from $2.99, Egypt from $3.49, Thailand from $3.49, Europe from $3.49. How to set it up: see the installation guide.
FAQ
How much compensation do I get for a delayed flight?
Under EU rules €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km and €600 for longer flights, if you arrive 3+ hours late and the cause is not extraordinary. In Turkey €100–600 for cancellations, in Thailand from 1,200 baht for delays of 5+ hours.
Do airlines pay for delays caused by technical problems?
Yes. The EU Court of Justice ruled that technical problems are not extraordinary circumstances, even when sudden. Weather, air traffic control strikes, closed airspace and bird strikes are.
Does EU261 cover flights to Egypt and Turkey?
Flights from the EU on any airline, yes. Return flights only on a European airline (Wizz Air, Ryanair, Enter Air and others). Pegasus or Turkish flights from Turkey fall under Turkey's SHY rules.
How long do I have to claim?
It depends on the country: 1 year in Poland, 2 in Italy and Hungary, 3 in Germany, 5 in Spain, 6 in the UK. After the EU261 reform, expected from late 2027, it will be 9 months.
Claim myself or use AirHelp or Compensair?
Claiming yourself is free and you keep everything. A service makes sense if the airline refuses, stays silent for over 6 weeks or the case goes to court. AirHelp keeps 35%, Compensair 30%, up to 45–50% with court action.
Can I take a voucher instead of money?
Yes, but only voluntarily. Under EU rules compensation and refunds are paid in money; a voucher can only be offered.
What am I owed if the delay is due to weather?
No compensation, but the airline must provide food and drinks, and a hotel and transfer for an overnight delay. If it does not, claim the costs back with receipts.
Is the delay counted at departure or arrival?
At arrival, when the aircraft doors open at the destination. Leaving 3.5 hours late but arriving 2 hours 50 minutes late gives no EU261 compensation.
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