The law, minus the jargon
EU 261/2004: the law that makes flying fair.
Since 2005 a single European regulation has protected every passenger against delays, cancellations and denied boarding. This is what it actually says, and how to use it.
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€250
Flights up to 1,500 km
e.g. Amsterdam → London
€400
1,500 – 3,500 km
e.g. Brussels → Malaga
€600
Over 3,500 km
e.g. Amsterdam → New York
Per person, for 3+ hours delay at your final destination, cancellation less than 14 days ahead, or denied boarding. Claimable up to 6 years back.
Who does EU 261/2004 apply to?
Every departure from the EU
Plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. The airline's nationality is then irrelevant.
Into the EU with an EU airline
Flying from outside the EU into the EU, the regulation applies if the operating carrier is European.
Almost every ticket
Package holidays and business bookings included. Only free tickets outside normal sale fall outside.
Three kinds of rights
Compensation, care and refunds: which apply depends on what happened to your flight.
The three rights at a glance
Compensation: a fixed amount of €250, €400 or €600 per person, depending on distance, for short-notice cancellations, denied boarding or an arrival delay of 3 hours or more.
Care: from 2 hours of waiting, meals, drinks and communication, and a hotel with transfers when an overnight stay is needed. Refund or rebooking: for cancellations and long delays from 5 hours you choose, and refunds are due within 7 days.
Extraordinary circumstances: the narrow escape hatch
The airline only escapes compensation for circumstances it could not have avoided with all reasonable measures. The Court of Justice reads that strictly: a technical fault is almost never force majeure (Wallentin-Hermann), and neither is a strike by the airline's own staff.
What can be extraordinary: extreme weather, closed airspace, a bird strike or a political emergency. Because weather is the most popular excuse, we test it against the official METAR reports of that moment as standard.
Enforcement: from complaint to court
Every member state has a national enforcement body where you can complain, but such complaints rarely lead to payment. The road to your money runs through a formal notice and, if needed, the civil courts.
That is exactly the route we take off your hands: we serve notice, substantiate with flight and weather data, engage a bailiff or lawyer where needed and pay you out as soon as the claim succeeds. No win, no fee.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly are 'extraordinary circumstances'?
Events beyond the airline's control that could not have been avoided with all reasonable measures, such as extreme weather or closed airspace. Technical faults and strikes by the airline's own staff do not count, according to the courts.
Does the regulation cover flights to and from the UK?
After Brexit the UK adopted the regulation almost one-to-one as UK261. And if you depart from an EU airport, the EU version simply applies.
Must the airline inform me of my rights?
Yes. Article 14 obliges airlines to display your rights at check-in and hand out a written notice during disruptions. In practice that rarely happens in full.
Can I claim damages on top of the fixed compensation?
Yes, extra costs such as a hotel or replacement transport the airline should have covered can be reclaimed separately with receipts. The fixed compensation is a minimum, not a ceiling.
Where do I complain in my country?
Every EU country has a national enforcement body for EU 261/2004, listed on Europa.eu. For actually getting paid, a civil claim is usually more effective; we handle that entirely.
Sources and legal basis
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, full text (EUR-Lex)
- Court of Justice of the EU, Sturgeon (C-402/07): 3+ hour delays qualify for compensation
- Court of Justice of the EU, Wallentin-Hermann (C-549/07): technical faults are rarely force majeure
- Your air passenger rights (Europa.eu)
Legal framework reviewed on 19 September 2026. This page is general information about EU Regulation 261/2004, not individual legal advice.
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