Personal finance expert Martin Lewis has revealed that passengers whose flights were cancelled or delayed by more than three hours in the last six years may still be entitled to compensation of between £110 and £520 per person. The Money Saving Expert (MSE) founder outlined the rules in his latest newsletter, emphasising that claims can be made for historic incidents going back to 2020.
Eligibility criteria for compensation
Compensation applies exclusively to UK or EU ‘regulated’ flights. Any flight departing from a UK or EU airport is covered regardless of the airline. For flights arriving at a UK or EU airport, only those operated by a UK or EU airline qualify. The compensation is payable only if the cancellation or delay was the airline’s fault, including staff shortages, mechanical issues, security concerns, or operational decisions.
‘Extraordinary circumstances’ such as extreme weather, air traffic control problems, or airport-caused delays are not eligible. Martin also noted that missed flights due to lengthy EES delays do not count as the airline’s fault.
Two types of compensation
For delay compensation, the flight must have arrived over three hours late, with the amount based solely on arrival time. Compensation ranges from £220 to £520 depending on flight distance and delay length. For cancellation compensation, if the airline notified you within two weeks of departure, you may be entitled to £110 to £520, depending on how the alternative flight timing affects your plans.
“Flight distance also has an effect,” Martin added. Compensation is in addition to any refund, alternative flight, or food reimbursement already provided.
How to claim without losing fees
Martin advises using free online tools like Resolver to submit claims, rather than paid services. This ensures you keep the full amount if successful. The tool also reminds you to escalate to the relevant resolution scheme if the airline rejects your claim.
Reader Lilia shared her success story: “Travelling home from South Korea, a plane tyre change delayed our flight by four hours, so we missed our connection in Germany and arrived in London a day later. When we emailed the airline, it refused compensation, saying we didn’t take off from an EU country. However, after reading Martin’s website, I pointed out my rights, citing the relevant law. It reimbursed us £520 each. A huge thank you.”
