How much does your flight have to be delayed to get compensation?

To receive compensation for a delayed flight, your flight must be delayed by 3 hours or more.

For a flight delay to qualify for compensation, several specific conditions must be met in addition to the delay duration. These conditions ensure that compensation is provided when the disruption is within the airline's responsibility and impacts passengers significantly.

Eligibility for Flight Delay Compensation

While a delay of 3 hours or more is the primary trigger, it's crucial to understand the contributing factors that determine your eligibility. Not all delays, even lengthy ones, will result in compensation.

Key Conditions for Compensation

For an airline to be obligated to provide compensation, the following criteria must generally be satisfied:

• Delay Duration: Your flight must arrive at its destination with a delay of 3 hours or more.
• Cause of Delay: The disruption (delay or cancellation) must be within the airline's control. This specifically excludes issues related to safety, as those are considered necessary for passenger well-being and not within the airline's ability to prevent in the same way as, for example, operational issues or mechanical problems not related to immediate safety concerns.
• Notification Period: The airline must have notified you of the disruption (delay or cancellation) 14 days or less in advance of the scheduled departure. If they notify you more than 14 days out, different rules may apply, or compensation might not be required.

Here's a summary of the conditions:

Understanding these specific conditions is vital for knowing when you are entitled to compensation for a flight delay.