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Airline guide

British Airways compensation

British Airways flights from the UK fall under UK261 and flights from the EU under EU261. The thresholds are the same; only the currency of the fixed amounts differs.

Quick answer

British Airways flights from the UK fall under UK261 and flights from the EU under EU261. The thresholds are the same; only the currency of the fixed amounts differs.

Airline
British Airways
Main hub
London Heathrow
Potential compensation
€250–€600 or £220–£520 per passenger
Route coverage
EU261 and UK261, depending on route

Does British Airways have to pay?

British Airways flies from EU and EEA airports, so EC Regulation 261/2004 applies to those departures regardless of where the flight is going. Heathrow and Gatwick connect to the whole of Europe and to long-haul markets where the top band applies. Most of those routes fall in the €250 band, with longer ones reaching €400.

What usually decides the claim

  • UK departures are compensated in pounds (£220/£350/£520); EU departures in euros.
  • BA's own staff strikes do not excuse payment; third-party air traffic control strikes can.
  • IT failures in the airline's own systems are within its control.
  • For UK flights the regulator is the Civil Aviation Authority, not a national EU body.

How to send your claim

BA uses an online claim form under Manage My Booking. Paste the letter in full so the legal basis is on record, then keep the reference number.

If they refuse

Airlines often reject a first claim with a one-line reference to extraordinary circumstances. Ask them to state the specific cause and the reasonable measures they took. If the answer is unconvincing or none arrives within 14 days, escalate to the national enforcement body in the country of departure — for London Heathrow-based flights that is the regulator of that state — or to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme.

Common questions

Is UK261 different from EU261?
It is the same regulation copied into UK law after Brexit, with amounts in pounds. The three-hour threshold and the excuses that do and do not work are unchanged.
My flight left Heathrow and arrived in Spain late. Which applies?
The departure point decides: a UK departure means UK261, handled by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Does British Airways charge to process a claim?
No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.