British Airways delay compensation: check your flight against the record
British Airways is a UK carrier. Flights out of the UK are covered by UK261 whatever the destination, and flights into the UK are covered too, from anywhere in the world.
Enter the flight number and date. We pull the actual arrival time, the Eurocontrol air-traffic delay logged at both airports that day and the airport weather, then tell you whether BA owes you £220, £350 or £520 per passenger and how strong the airline's likely defence is.
Typical BA routes
| Route | Distance | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow to New York JFK | 5,555 km | £520 |
| Heathrow to Edinburgh | 535 km | £220 |
| Heathrow to Athens | 2,400 km | £350 |
| Gatwick to Orlando | 7,000 km | £520 |
Bands: up to 1,500 km £220 / €250; 1,500 to 3,500 km £350 / €400; over 3,500 km £520 / €600 (halved for a 3 to 4 hour long-haul delay).
What to know about claiming from BA
- British Airways is a UK carrier. Every BA flight departing the UK is covered by UK261, and so is every BA flight arriving in the UK from anywhere in the world, including New York, Dubai and Singapore.
- Long-haul matters here: over 3,500 km the compensation is £520, reduced to £260 if you arrived between 3 and 4 hours late. Heathrow to New York is 5,555 km.
- BA disputes go to CEDR, not AviationADR. CEDR is free to the passenger and its decisions bind BA. BA CityFlyer and BA EuroFlyer flights are treated the same way.
If BA refuses or does not answer within 8 weeks: The CAA lists British Airways with CEDR's aviation scheme. Free to you. You can go there once the airline has given a final answer, or has not answered within 8 weeks of your written complaint, and its decision binds the airline if you accept it.
You can claim from BA for free.
Use the claim page above and a free template from the CAA, Which? or MoneySavingExpert. Our £4.99 letter adds the verified flight record and the day's delay and weather evidence, which is what you will need if BA replies with “extraordinary circumstances”. Claims firms charge 35% to 50% of the payout for the same claim.
BA compensation questions
Answers people search for
How much compensation does British Airways pay?
£220 for flights up to 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500 to 3,500 km, £520 for over 3,500 km (or £260 if the long-haul arrival delay was between 3 and 4 hours), per passenger, for delays of 3 hours or more at arrival that were within BA's control.
Is a BA flight from the USA to London covered?
Yes. UK261 covers flights arriving at a UK airport on a UK or EU carrier, so a BA flight from New York, Los Angeles or Miami to Heathrow qualifies. The same flight on American Airlines would not, because AA is not a UK or EU carrier.
BA blamed a technical fault. Do I still get compensation?
Yes. Technical faults, including those discovered unexpectedly, are not extraordinary circumstances (Huzar v Jet2.com, decided by the Court of Appeal; van der Lans v KLM at the European Court). BA must prove something outside its control, such as ATC restrictions or severe weather, and our check shows what Eurocontrol and the airport weather records logged that day.
Where do I escalate a BA claim?
CEDR's aviation scheme, once BA has given a final answer or 8 weeks have passed. It is free to you. The alternative is a small claim in the county court, which costs a fee you recover if you win.