How to claim Kenya Airways compensation step by step
A successful Kenya Airways claim starts by proving route coverage and operating carrier before calculating money. Use KQ's dedicated disruption portal for EU261 or UK261 fixed compensation, the refund channel for unused fare, the baggage process for luggage and the general complaint route for service issues. Combining unrelated remedies under the wrong form can delay an otherwise valid case.
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:
Check eligibility first. A Kenya Airways journey beginning in Paris or Amsterdam can fall under EU261; one beginning at Heathrow or Gatwick can fall under UK261. A standalone KQ flight from Nairobi to Europe usually needs a different legal basis.
Step 1: map the ticket from first departure to final destination
Write down every sector exactly as issued. Mark whether the flights share one booking reference and e-ticket. The first airport on a continuous reservation decides territorial scope, while the last ticketed airport normally decides final delay and distance.
For Amsterdam-Nairobi-Entebbe on one reservation, Amsterdam is the protected departure and Entebbe is the final destination. If Nairobi-Entebbe was bought independently, disclose the second contract rather than joining the tickets in the claim.
Step 2: identify the operating carrier on every sector
Look for “operated by” on the original confirmation. A KQ number can be performed by KLM, Air France, British Airways or another partner. EU261 and UK261 operational claims normally go to the carrier that performed or intended to perform the affected flight.
Save the original document before rebooking overwrites it. On the return direction, operator identity can decide coverage: KQ operation from Nairobi is normally outside EU261, while KLM operation to Amsterdam may qualify.
Step 3: choose the governing system
| Initial departure and operator | Likely primary route |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA departure on Kenya Airways | EU261 |
| UK departure on Kenya Airways | UK261 |
| Nairobi departure on Kenya Airways | KQ contract, Kenyan consumer law and Montreal where relevant |
| US departure on Kenya Airways | US DOT for refunds, oversales and specified consumer rights |
| Third-country arrival operated by an EU or UK carrier | Recheck the carrier-arrival limb |
Do not cite every system at once. State the primary rule and explain any separate contractual or Convention request in its own section.
Step 4: define the event and legal timing
Record whether the claim concerns arrival delay, cancellation, involuntary denied boarding, downgrade, airport care or baggage. Each uses different facts.
For delay, compare scheduled final arrival with door opening. For cancellation, keep the first notification and replacement schedule. For denied boarding, prove timely presentation and refusal despite confirmed space. For downgrade, show paid and flown cabins on the affected sector.
Step 5: calculate each requested remedy
EU261 uses EUR 250, EUR 400 and EUR 600 bands. UK261 uses GBP 220, GBP 350 and GBP 520. Long-distance delay between three and four hours can reduce the amount by half.
Create separate rows for:
- fixed compensation per passenger;
- unused ticket reimbursement;
- rerouting or replacement transport;
- meals, hotel and airport transfer;
- downgrade or paid-upgrade repayment;
- Montreal passenger-delay loss;
- baggage loss, delay or damage.
The Kenya Airways amount guide helps keep currencies and legal bases apart.
Step 6: assemble a verifiable evidence file
Collect the e-ticket, payment receipt, booking reference, boarding passes, operator disclosure, disruption messages, replacement itinerary and final arrival proof. Add itemised receipts and written requests for care or rerouting.
Create a one-page chronology. Give attachments short factual names such as 01-original-ticket, 02-cancellation-message, 03-reroute-offer and 04-hotel-invoice. If one adult acts for others, include authority where requested.
Step 7: select the correct Kenya Airways channel
For an EU261 or UK261 disruption, KQ's dedicated portal starts with the 706 ticket number or manual flight entry, then gathers passenger details and documents. Use the online refund route for eligible direct-sale fare repayment. An agent-issued ticket normally returns through the agent's payment channel.
Delayed or damaged baggage requires a property irregularity report and written luggage claim. General service feedback belongs in the general complaint form. The form and contact guide maps these routes.
Step 8: write the demand so it can be decided
State passenger names, complete itinerary, operator, event date, scheduled and actual timing, governing rule and amount. Put expenses in a table with currency and receipt number. Request payment by bank transfer or another lawful cash method where fixed compensation is due.
Do not send passport or bank data through an insecure public message. Use only information needed for identification and the secure fields provided by the airline.
Step 9: test the response and escalate accurately
Kenya Airways' current Conditions say a substantive complaint response will be provided within 21-30 working days. If the answer says only weather, technical reasons or operations, ask for the exact event, causal link and reasonable measures.
For an EU departure, use the relevant national enforcement route and assess court options under national law. For the UK, follow current CAA complaint guidance. For a Nairobi-origin consumer dispute, Kenyan aviation or competition authorities may be relevant. US-route issues can be submitted to DOT after the airline complaint.
The adopted EU reform is not yet in force on 15 August 2026. Do not substitute its future notification or response periods for current national limitation rules.
A concise Kenya Airways claim model
Use a subject that identifies the remedy, for example: EU261 claim - Paris to Nairobi - 15 June 2026 - passenger name.
In the body, present:
- one sentence establishing coverage;
- a two-line timing calculation;
- the operator and event;
- the amount per passenger;
- a separate expense total;
- a numbered attachment list;
- the requested response and payment method.
Avoid a long account of every airport conversation before stating the legal event. Detailed notes can remain in the chronology attachment.
FAQ
Where do I file a Kenya Airways EU261 claim?
Use Kenya Airways' dedicated disruption portal and enter the 706 ticket number or itinerary manually.
Should I put fixed compensation in the refund form?
No. The refund route handles fare repayment; use the disruption claim route for EU261 or UK261 fixed sums.
What document proves a protected connection?
The complete e-ticket showing one reservation from initial departure through the final destination is central evidence.
Can one passenger submit for a family?
Yes, but list each traveller and ticket separately and provide authority from other adults if requested.
What should I do with a vague rejection?
Ask for the event, its causal link and mitigation, then escalate through the authority matching the route and issue.