easyJet UK flight compensation under UK261
Reviewed on 10 August 2026. An easyJet flight departing a UK airport is normally protected by UK261, regardless of whether EZY, EJU or EZS operates it. Eligible delays, short-notice cancellations and involuntary denied boarding can produce GBP 220, GBP 350 or GBP 520 per passenger. Refund, rerouting and care are additional rights and do not depend on easyJet being at fault in the same way as fixed compensation.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
UK261 coverage at a glance
| Journey | UK261 position |
|---|---|
| Gatwick to an EU destination | Covered because it leaves the UK |
| Luton to North Africa | Covered because departure is from a UK airport |
| EU airport to Manchester on easyJet Europe | UK261 inbound coverage can apply; EC261 also applies at departure |
| Third country to the UK on easyJet UK | Normally within UK261 inbound scope |
| Third country to the UK on a carrier outside the UK/EU categories | UK261 may not apply |
The operator still matters. easyJet says EZY normally indicates easyJet UK Limited, EJU easyJet Europe Airline GmbH and EZS easyJet Switzerland S.A. Keep the “operated by” line because inbound scope, respondent identity and enforcement can turn on it.
UK261 compensation bands
| Great-circle distance | Standard maximum |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | GBP 220 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | GBP 350 |
| Above 3,500 km | GBP 520 |
For a delay on the longest band, arrival between three and four hours late usually points to GBP 260. The full GBP 520 generally requires more than four hours. Cancellation and rerouting can also support a half reduction when the substitute reaches the destination within the relevant time window.
Measure distance airport to airport along the great-circle route. An aircraft detour does not move a journey into a higher band. The fare paid is irrelevant to the statutory sum.
Delayed easyJet flight from the UK
Fixed delay compensation normally requires arrival at least three hours late. Arrival is not simply touchdown; door opening is the accepted operational marker under the retained case-law approach. Save easyJet Flight Tracker and airport records when the timing is close.
At two, three or four hours of expected departure delay, depending on distance, easyJet should provide care. That can include refreshments, communication and accommodation with transport if an overnight wait becomes necessary. These duties can remain when weather or ATC prevents the fixed sum.
After five hours of departure delay, you may abandon the journey and request a refund. Do not cancel casually in Manage Bookings: choosing not to travel generally ends ongoing carriage and care. Read the easyJet five-hour guide before selecting reimbursement.
Cancelled UK departure
When easyJet cancels, it must offer reimbursement or alternative transport. If you still need to travel, request rerouting at the earliest opportunity. The UK CAA says this can require another airline or suitable transport when it reaches the destination significantly sooner than the airline's own service.
Fixed cancellation compensation generally depends on less than 14 days' notice, replacement timing and cause. Seven-to-14-day and under-seven-day notice bands use different departure and arrival safe harbours. Preserve the delivery time of notice and every replacement offered.
An airport closure may remove compensation but does not normally remove the transport choice. easyJet's own disruption guidance now describes selecting an alternative airline on the same route in eligible cases.
Denied boarding at a UK airport
If easyJet refuses boarding involuntarily despite timely presentation and valid documents, the fixed amount can be due without a three-hour delay. The airline should seek volunteers first. Do not sign as a volunteer unless the benefit, rerouting, expenses and payment form are acceptable and recorded.
Aircraft substitution, overbooking and certain weight restrictions can reduce available seats. Ask staff to state the reason and whether refusal was voluntary. Keep gate scans, boarding pass and the replacement arrival time because a fast alternative can reduce the payment by half.
Extraordinary circumstances
easyJet can defend fixed delay or cancellation compensation by proving an external event, causal connection and reasonable measures. Strong candidates include unsafe weather, a specific ATC restriction, airport closure and security incidents. Routine technical failure and ordinary staffing choices usually remain within airline operations.
The UK CAA advises passengers to ask why the disruption occurred and retain evidence. A broad “operational reasons” message is not enough to classify the cause. If the problem began on an earlier flight in the aircraft rotation, easyJet should identify that initiating event and explain recovery measures.
Expenses under UK261
Ask easyJet to provide care directly. When it cannot, buy reasonable necessities and keep itemised receipts. Its current policy refers to standard or shared ground transport, three-star or equivalent accommodation where available, and reasonable food and non-alcoholic drink.
Pre-booked hotels at the destination, missed attractions, parking and car hire are usually not direct care items. Travel insurance or a separate damages claim may be relevant, but do not add them to the statutory expense form without a legal basis.
Use easyJet hotel and meal reimbursement to organise receipts and necessity evidence.
Claim and escalation
Submit the original flight through easyJet's EC261-labelled portal; the form is also the airline's route for UK passenger-rights compensation. State UK261, the distance, arrival or notice timing, operating airline and amount in pounds. Save the acknowledgement.
If refused, ask for the precise cause and operational evidence. easyJet's terms currently permit eligible unresolved complaints to be referred to AviationADR within 12 months of the final response. The CAA lists easyJet among airlines participating in approved ADR. Check scheme jurisdiction and complete the airline process first.
For court action in England and Wales, easyJet's current terms state six years from the flight date for Regulation 261 and APR 2019 claims. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different limitation systems. Do not let direct correspondence or ADR timing obscure the court deadline.
Later EU amendments do not automatically change UK261. The EU reform adopted in July 2026 is therefore relevant to an overlapping EU claim only when it becomes applicable, not as a present UK rule.
FAQ
Does UK261 apply to every easyJet flight leaving Britain?
Yes in the ordinary case, because UK departure establishes coverage regardless of which easyJet group airline operates. Passenger and booking conditions must still be met.
How much is easyJet UK delay compensation?
The standard bands are GBP 220, GBP 350 and GBP 520 according to distance. A journey above 3,500 km arriving between three and four hours late normally pays GBP 260.
Can I insist on another airline after easyJet cancels?
Potentially, when it offers significantly earlier reasonable transport and easyJet's own options do not meet the earliest-opportunity duty. Ask easyJet first and preserve the comparison before self-booking.
Does Brexit remove compensation for easyJet flights?
No. UK261 retained a domestic passenger-rights framework. EU departures can also remain covered by EC261, creating route-specific overlap rather than a rights vacuum.
Who reviews an unresolved easyJet UK complaint?
AviationADR can review eligible easyJet complaints after the airline process, subject to its current rules. easyJet states a 12-month referral period from the final response.