Delay & Compensation Guide
Know your rights when flights are delayed, cancelled or overbooked. EU261, UK261, South African CPA and Asian regimes explained — with practical steps to claim.
Compensation by distance
| Route distance | Delay ≥3h | Cancelled <14 days notice |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | €250 | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | €400 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km (EU–non-EU) | €600 | €600 |
Amounts can be halved if the airline offers re-routing with similar arrival time.
Right to care (any delay)
- Delay ≥2h: meals and refreshments, 2 free phone calls/emails
- Delay overnight: hotel accommodation + transport to/from hotel
- Cancellation: full refund within 7 days OR re-routing at earliest opportunity
- Denied boarding (overbooking): full compensation + care as above
What does NOT qualify
- Extraordinary circumstances: severe weather, ATC strikes, security threats
- Delay under 3 hours at final destination
- If airline gave ≥14 days notice of cancellation
- Technical issues caused by hidden manufacturing defect (grey area)
Claim deadline
Currently (2026), you can claim up to 2–6 years after the flight depending on country. France: 5 years. Germany: 3 years. UK (post-Brexit): up to 6 years. Claims management services can do this retroactively.
Changing soon: The EU agreed a reform of EU261 in June 2026 (approved by the European Parliament in July 2026), expected to take effect in 2027. It keeps the compensation amounts and the 3-hour delay threshold exactly as they are — the airline lobby's push to raise it to 4–6 hours did not succeed — but it replaces the country-by-country deadlines above with a single 9-month EU-wide claim window. Once that takes effect, older national deadlines like France's 5 years won't apply to new disruptions — so if you're sitting on an old claim, it's worth filing sooner rather than later.
Compensation by distance (GBP)
| Route distance | Delay ≥3h | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | £220 | £220 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | £350 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km | £520 | £520 |
Key differences from EU261
- Amounts in GBP, not EUR — slightly lower at current rates
- Claim window up to 6 years (England/Wales) or 5 years (Scotland)
- EU261 still applies to flights departing EU airports on your trip
- British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Jet2 are UK-registered
Practical note for SA travellers
If you're flying LHR–JNB on British Airways and your flight is delayed 3+ hours, you're entitled to £520 (approximately R12,000+). BA's online claims portal is reliable — submit directly.
Your rights under the CPA
| Situation | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Delay ≥3h (domestic) | Meals, refreshments, communication |
| Delay ≥5h (international) | Meals, accommodation, transport, communication |
| Denied boarding (overbooking) | Up to R3,000 + re-booking |
| Cancellation <24h notice | Full refund or re-booking on next available flight |
| Lost/damaged baggage | Montreal Convention limits apply (see below) |
Montreal Convention (baggage)
- Lost baggage: up to approximately 1,288 SDR (~R28,000 at current rates)
- Delayed baggage: claim reasonable expenses incurred
- Damaged baggage: repair cost up to the same limit
- Applies to all international flights on ICAO member airlines
- Must file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) before leaving the airport
SARS & customs on return
Delayed baggage arriving days later is still subject to customs duties. Declare verbally at SARS if your bag is delayed — they will note this. When bag arrives, you can re-present to customs if goods require declaration.
Who enforces it in SA?
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) handles CPA complaints. The Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) handles aviation safety complaints. For airline disputes, escalate through the NCC if the airline's own process fails.
Thailand CAAT
Domestic ≥3h: meals. International ≥5h: accommodation and transport. No fixed cash compensation — claim through OCPB.
Singapore CAAS
Airlines must have a Consumer Protection Plan. SQ/Scoot have clear policies. No statutory cash compensation — care obligations apply.
Malaysia MAVCOM
Denied boarding: RM200–800. Delay ≥2h: meals. Delay ≥6h (international): accommodation. Cancellation: refund or re-route within 48h then compensation kicks in.
Indonesia Min. Transport PM 185/2015
Delay ≥4h: meals + IDR300,000–1,000,000 compensation. Domestic and international covered.
Vietnam CAAV
Delay ≥4h: care obligations. Limited cash compensation domestically. No EU-equivalent.
China CAAC
Delay ≥4h: meals/accommodation. Cash compensation for delays caused by airline (not weather) — typically ¥200–400 domestic. Claim direct with airline.
India DGCA
Delay ≥2h: meals. Denied boarding: up to ₹10,000 domestic or ₹20,000 international. Cancellation: refund without penalty.
Hong Kong HKCAD
No statutory EU-style compensation. Airlines operate under their own conditions. Cathay Pacific has reasonable customer care policies.
South Korea MOLIT
Denied boarding: KRW200,000–400,000 + care. Delays: care obligations. Limited compensation regime.
Japan MLIT
Comprehensive airline policies but no statutory cash compensation law. JAL/ANA have strong customer care commitments.
At the airport — immediately
- Ask the airline gate agent for written confirmation of the delay and reason
- Request meal vouchers proactively — they often don't volunteer them
- If overnight: request hotel voucher and transport
- Keep ALL receipts — meals, transport, phone calls, hotel
- If baggage delayed: file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) before leaving arrivals
- Take photos of departure boards showing delay time
Gather your evidence
- Booking confirmation and ticket number
- Boarding passes (digital screenshot or physical)
- Receipts for expenses incurred
- Written confirmation of delay from airline
- FlightAware or FlightRadar24 record showing actual arrival time
- Correspondence with the airline
Submit your claim
- Use the airline's online compensation form first (faster than email)
- Reference the specific regulation: EU261, UK261 or national equivalent
- State the exact delay in hours at final destination (not departure airport)
- Include your bank details — they pay by SWIFT for international claims
- Chase after 14 days if no response
If the airline refuses
- EU flights: escalate to the national enforcement body (CAA in UK, DGAC in France, LBA in Germany)
- UK flights: raise with the CAA or an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme
- SA flights: complain to the National Consumer Commission (NCC)
- Consider a claims management company: AirHelp, Flightright, ClaimCompass — they take 25–35% of the compensation as fee
- Small claims court in the departure country is also an option for EU/UK claims