Travellin.org is committed to helping travellers understand their passenger rights when flights are delayed, cancelled, overbooked, or disrupted.
Air passenger compensation rights vary depending on the airline, departure airport, destination, applicable legislation, ticket type, and the circumstances causing the disruption.
Understand your general passenger rights when flights are delayed, cancelled, overbooked, disrupted, or affected by denied boarding.
Travellin.org provides general information only. We do not act as a claims management company, legal adviser, airline representative, insurer, broker, compensation provider, or regulatory authority.
Passenger rights and compensation eligibility may vary depending on the operating airline, departure airport, destination country, ticket conditions, booking type, applicable legislation, and the specific cause of disruption.
Travellers should always verify their individual rights directly with the operating airline, the relevant aviation authority, their insurer, or an independent legal adviser where appropriate.
Depending on the applicable legal framework, passengers may be entitled to assistance, refunds, re-routing, reimbursement, or compensation where a flight is delayed, cancelled, overbooked, or where boarding is denied despite a valid booking.
Passengers may be entitled to meals, refreshments, communication support, accommodation, airport transport and possible financial compensation where a qualifying flight delay occurs.
Eligibility usually depends on the length of the delay, flight distance, arrival time at the final destination and whether the disruption was within the airline’s reasonable control.
Where a flight is cancelled, passengers may have rights to a refund, re-routing, care assistance and possible compensation.
Compensation may depend on how much notice was given, whether suitable alternative transport was offered, and whether the airline was responsible for the cancellation.
Passengers may be entitled to compensation, alternative transport, refund options and care assistance where boarding is denied despite a valid booking.
Protection usually applies where the passenger met check-in, documentation, security and boarding requirements.
Passengers may have rights to re-routing, assistance and possible compensation where a missed connection results from a qualifying airline delay or cancellation.
Stronger rights usually apply where connecting flights were booked under one reservation rather than separate tickets.
Passengers may be entitled to reimbursement or compensation where baggage is lost, delayed or damaged, subject to airline procedures and applicable international conventions.
Travellers should immediately report baggage issues at the airport and request a Property Irregularity Report before leaving the terminal.
Passenger rights differ between jurisdictions. The following information is provided as general guidance only and must not be treated as legal advice.
Passengers departing from airports within the United Kingdom, or travelling with qualifying UK air carriers, may benefit from UK air passenger rights rules relating to delays, cancellations, denied boarding, re-routing, refunds, care and assistance.
Compensation eligibility may depend on flight distance, arrival delay, notice of cancellation, operational responsibility and whether extraordinary circumstances apply.
Passengers departing from airports within the European Union may benefit from EU air passenger rights protections concerning flight delays, cancellations, denied boarding, refunds, re-routing and assistance.
EU passenger rights may also apply to certain flights arriving into the European Union where the operating airline meets relevant regulatory requirements.
Passengers travelling to, from or through Switzerland may have rights depending on the operating airline, route, airport, ticket conditions and applicable Swiss or European aviation framework.
Compensation, care assistance, refunds and re-routing may be available in qualifying circumstances, subject to legal limitations and airline assessment.
Flights involving countries outside the United Kingdom, European Union and Switzerland may be governed by local aviation laws, airline contractual terms, consumer protection rules and international conventions.
The Montreal Convention may apply to certain international claims involving baggage delay, baggage loss, baggage damage, passenger injury or delay-related losses, subject to strict rules and compensation limits.
Where a flight is delayed, passengers may be entitled to care and assistance, including meals, refreshments, communication support, hotel accommodation and airport transfers, depending on the length of delay and applicable legislation.
Financial compensation may also be available where the arrival delay exceeds the relevant legal threshold and the disruption was within the airline’s responsibility.
Where a flight is cancelled, passengers may have rights to a refund, re-routing at the earliest opportunity, re-routing at a later convenient date, care assistance and possible compensation.
Compensation may not be payable where the airline provided sufficient advance notice, offered suitable alternative transport, or where the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s reasonable control.
Airlines may occasionally refuse boarding where a flight is overbooked or where operational restrictions apply. Where passengers are denied boarding despite holding a valid booking and complying with all travel requirements, compensation and assistance may be available.
Passengers may have stronger rights where connecting flights are booked under a single reservation and the missed connection is caused by an airline delay or cancellation.
Where baggage is lost, delayed or damaged, passengers should immediately report the matter to the airline or airport baggage desk and request a Property Irregularity Report.
Contact the operating airline, keep all booking evidence, request written reasons for the disruption and escalate to the relevant aviation authority, ADR scheme, insurer or independent legal adviser where required.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, regulatory advice, financial advice, insurance advice, claims management services, aviation authority guidance or professional representation.
Travellin.org makes no representation, warranty or guarantee regarding compensation eligibility, claim success, airline decisions, payment amounts, time limits, legal interpretation, or passenger rights outcomes.
You may be eligible depending on the length of delay, applicable law, route distance and cause of disruption.
Possibly. Eligibility may depend on notice period, alternative transport offered and whether the airline was responsible.
You may be eligible if you were denied boarding despite holding a valid booking and meeting all travel requirements.
Possibly, especially where flights were booked under a single reservation.
Usually not where severe weather is treated as an extraordinary circumstance outside airline control.
These may include severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security incidents, political instability or natural disasters.
Claims should usually be submitted directly to the operating airline.
Keep booking confirmations, boarding passes, receipts, emails, disruption notices and baggage tags.
Where applicable, airlines may be required to provide or reimburse reasonable accommodation.
Passengers may be entitled to care assistance depending on delay duration and applicable rules.
This depends on the circumstances, airline terms and applicable law.
Claims are usually made against the operating airline, not the booking platform.
No. Travel insurance and passenger rights are separate protections.
You may be able to claim through the airline or insurer after reporting the issue.
Possible reimbursement may apply for essential purchases, subject to evidence and time limits.
Processing times vary by airline, jurisdiction and complexity.
Yes. Airlines may reject claims where they believe eligibility requirements are not met.
You may escalate to an aviation authority, ADR body, insurer or independent legal adviser.
No. Travellin.org does not provide claims management, legal representation or compensation processing.
No. Travellin.org does not guarantee eligibility, claim success or payment amounts.
