UK261 retains EU261 almost word-for-word in UK law, with the amounts converted to pounds: £220, £350, £260 or £520 depending on distance and delay length. Enforcement passed from EU national bodies to the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The 3-hour threshold, extraordinary-circumstances defence, denied-boarding rules and duty-of-care obligations are the same. You can claim yourself, free, and keep 100%.
What UK261 is
When the UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, Regulation (EC) 261/2004 was kept in UK domestic law through The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The 2019 statutory instrument substituted pound-sterling amounts for the original euro amounts and replaced references to EU institutions with UK ones, but otherwise left the regulation intact. Practitioners and the Civil Aviation Authority both refer to the resulting regime as "UK261."
The two substantive differences from EU261:
- Currency. €250 / €400 / €600 → £220 / £350 / £520. The Government picked round pound figures rather than calculate a moving exchange rate.
- Enforcement. The UK Civil Aviation Authority, specifically its Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT), handles complaints — not an EU national enforcement body. UK261 disputes can also be referred to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme such as CEDR or AviationADR, which are binding on the airline.
Coverage: who UK261 protects
UK261 applies if any of the following is true:
- You are departing from a UK airport on any airline.
- You are arriving at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline, having departed from a non-UK airport.
- The operating carrier is licensed in the UK.
Note the asymmetry with EU261: a US-to-UK flight on American Airlines is not UK261-covered, because American is neither a UK nor an EU carrier. The UK-to-US return on American also isn't UK261-covered for the same reason — but it is covered, because UK261 applies to every flight departing the UK regardless of carrier. The protection is on the departure leg.
The compensation amounts
| Flight distance | Delay trigger | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | 3+ hours | £220 |
| 1,500 – 3,500 km | 3+ hours | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km | 3–4 hours | £260 |
| Over 3,500 km | 4+ hours | £520 |
The £260 figure for medium delays on long-haul is the UK261 equivalent of EU261's Article 7(2) "halved" amount — for long-haul flights between 3 and 4 hours late, the airline can pay £260 instead of £520. Outside that band the full amount applies. Distances are great-circle from departure to final destination on the booking.
What's identical to EU261
The substantive rules carried over wholesale. You don't need to re-learn anything if you already know EU261:
- 3-hour rule. The Sturgeon-line CJEU case law applies as retained EU case law under the UK's Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, and UK courts continue to follow it. A 3+ hour arrival delay triggers cash compensation as if the flight were cancelled.
- Extraordinary circumstances. Same defence, same evidentiary burden on the airline. The Wallentin-Hermann, van der Lans, Pešková, Krüsemann and Moens precedents continue to govern. UK courts have so far followed the CJEU's narrow reading.
- Duty of care. Meals, communications, hotel and transport — same as Article 9 of the original regulation.
- 14-day cancellation safe harbour. Airlines don't owe compensation if they notify of cancellation at least 14 days before scheduled departure, with the same intermediate exception structures.
- Denied boarding. £220 / £350 / £520 owed in cash, with the same "volunteers first" requirement.
- Downgrade. 30% / 50% / 75% of ticket price refund, same bands.
How to claim under UK261
- Confirm you qualify — match the cause and delay length to the regulation. Check the airline's stated reason against the case-law list (see our EU261 page for the full list).
- Calculate the exact amount by great-circle distance. Use our calculator.
- Gather evidence: booking reference, boarding pass, actual arrival time, the airline's communication, and expense receipts.
- Write a claim letter citing the regulation and the amount. Send it via the airline's official claims channel (every UK-licensed airline must publish one). Give them 14 days.
- If refused, escalate. Two routes:
- UK CAA PACT — file at caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/complaints. Free, but the CAA's findings are not legally binding on the airline.
- ADR scheme — CEDR or AviationADR, depending on which scheme the airline subscribes to. Decisions are binding on the airline.
- Small claims court — Money Claim Online (England & Wales) for claims up to £10,000 if all else fails. Fees scale with claim size but are recoverable from the airline if you win.
Limitation periods — how long you have
| Jurisdiction | Time limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | 6 years | Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 |
| Scotland | 5 years | Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 |
| Northern Ireland | 6 years | Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 |
These are unusually generous limits. The earlier Dawson v. Thomson Airways case clarified that the 6-year period applies in England and Wales, ending earlier confusion about whether the Montreal Convention's 2-year limit pre-empted UK261 claims. It does not.
ClaimBox handles your UK261 claim — free
Add the flight. ClaimBox tracks it on live ADS-B data, catches the moment a delay or cancellation crosses the UK261 threshold, calculates the exact sterling amount by distance, and assembles a ready-to-send claim packet citing the right articles. You send it. You keep 100%, and the evidence is stored so you can escalate to the CAA if the airline refuses.
Download on the App Store →Frequently asked questions
What is UK261?
UK261 is the post-Brexit UK retention of EU Regulation 261/2004, codified by The Air Passenger Rights (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. It owes fixed cash compensation of £220 to £520 for long delays, short-notice cancellations, and denied boarding on UK-departing or UK/EU-arriving flights.
How much does UK261 pay?
£220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for flights 1,500–3,500 km, £260 for flights over 3,500 km delayed 3–4 hours, £520 for flights over 3,500 km delayed 4+ hours. Per passenger.
Who enforces UK261?
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) — specifically its Passenger Advice and Complaints Team. Disputes can also go to an ADR scheme (CEDR or AviationADR), whose decisions bind the airline. Last resort: small claims court via Money Claim Online.
Is UK261 still based on EU law after Brexit?
Yes. Retained EU case law continues to govern interpretation under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, and UK courts have continued to follow Sturgeon and the subsequent CJEU line.
How long do I have to claim UK261 compensation?
Six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; five years in Scotland. These limits are statutory and unusually generous — but evidence degrades, so file early.
This guide is general information, not legal advice, and rules can change. Always confirm specifics with the airline and the Civil Aviation Authority. ClaimBox helps you prepare and send your own claim; it is not a law firm.