British Airways delay compensation: a plain guide

British Airways flies short hops to Edinburgh and long-haul to New York and Singapore from the same terminals. The law on delays is the same for both, but the amounts and the traps differ. Here's how a BA claim works.

Can I claim compensation from British Airways?

You can claim if:

• your flight left a UK or EU airport, or it arrived in the UK on a flight British Airways itself operated (BA is a UK airline, so its flights into the UK from New York, Dubai or anywhere else are covered);
• you arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, or the flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you were denied boarding;
• the cause was within the airline's control.

The three-hour test is measured at arrival, when the aircraft door opens at the gate. Leaving late doesn't matter on its own; landing late does.

How much does BA have to pay?

The amount depends on distance, not ticket price or cabin. Business class and economy get the same.

Some BA examples, measured airport to airport:

• Heathrow to Edinburgh, about 535 km: £220.
• Heathrow to Athens, about 2,425 km: £350.
• Heathrow to New York JFK, about 5,540 km: £520.

The long-haul half-rate rule

On flights over 3,500 km, if you arrived between three and four hours late, the airline is allowed to pay half: £260 instead of £520. Arrive four hours or more late and the full amount is due. That hour makes a real difference on BA's long-haul network, so the exact arrival time matters.

My ticket says BA but another airline flew the plane. Who do I claim from?

The law puts the duty to pay on the operating airline: the one whose crew and aircraft actually flew the flight. BA sells many seats on flights run by its partners, and partners sell seats on BA flights.

• A BA flight number, operated by British Airways, BA CityFlyer or BA Euroflyer: claim from British Airways.
• A BA flight number, operated by Iberia from Madrid: the flight left the EU, so EC261 applies, and the claim goes to Iberia.
• A BA flight number, operated by American Airlines from the US to London: American is neither a UK nor an EU airline, and the flight didn't depart the UK or EU. These rules don't cover it.

That last case catches people out. The "operated by" line on your booking tells you which applies. Our guide to UK261 vs EC261 explains the scope in more detail.

How do I claim from British Airways?

You can claim from BA directly, for free. If you'd rather not deal with it, we send the claim for you from day one: we identify the operating airline, check the delay qualifies, and put together the claim with your booking details and a signed authority to act.

You'll need:

• the booking reference and the names of everyone on it;
• a boarding pass or e-ticket;
• photo ID, so BA can match you to the booking.

How long does BA take to reply?

We allow British Airways 28 days to respond to a claim. If there's no reply, we chase. If the answer is a refusal we disagree with, we reply with the reasons and a deadline.

For honest ranges at each stage, see how long flight compensation takes.

What if BA refuses?

British Airways is a member of CEDR, an independent dispute scheme approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, and its decisions bind the airline. That covers BA CityFlyer and BA Euroflyer too.

If a claim we believe is valid is still refused after BA's own process, we can refer it to CEDR. The referral costs the passenger nothing, the scheme looks at the evidence from both sides, and if it finds for the passenger, the airline has to pay.

If a claim is outside the scheme for any reason, the court route remains. In England and Wales, a claim of this size goes on the small claims track and can be started online.

What does BA usually say when it refuses?

"Extraordinary circumstances." This is the legal defence, and it is narrow. Bad weather that genuinely stopped your flight, air traffic control restrictions, a security alert: those can count. A technical fault, a crew shortage, or "operational reasons" do not. See our guide to extraordinary circumstances.

"Heathrow restrictions." Heathrow runs close to capacity, and BA sometimes points to slot or air traffic restrictions. These can be genuine. They can also be used to cover a delay that started with BA's own aircraft or crew. We look at what happened to the specific aircraft that day.

"Your connection was booked separately." If your flights were on one booking, a missed connection is judged by your arrival at the final destination. If they were separate bookings, each flight is judged alone. See missed connecting flight compensation.

What about BA Holidays and Avios bookings?

Package holidays booked through BA Holidays are covered in the same way: the compensation claim is about the flight, and goes to the airline that operated it.

Reward flights booked with Avios are generally covered. The rules exclude only tickets that are free or at a reduced fare not available to the public, and reward seats bought through a frequent flyer scheme are specifically included.

How long do I have to claim?

Six years from the flight in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, five in Scotland. For flights departing the EU, the time limit depends on the country. Old delays are often still claimable.

You can see how we handle BA claims on our British Airways airline page.

Frequently asked questions

How much is BA compensation for a long-haul delay?

For flights over 3,500 km from the UK, £520 per passenger if you arrived four hours or more late, or £260 if you arrived between three and four hours late.

Does business class get more compensation?

No. The amount is set by distance. Every passenger on the same delayed flight gets the same fixed sum, whatever the cabin or fare.

Can I claim for a BA flight from New York to London?

Yes, if British Airways operated it. BA is a UK airline arriving in the UK, so UK261 applies. If a partner from outside the UK and EU operated it, these rules don't apply.

Is CEDR free for passengers?

Yes. The airline pays the scheme's fee. When we refer a claim, there is no extra charge to you either: our fee stays at 30% of what's recovered, including VAT.

Does an Avios reward flight count?

Generally yes. Tickets bought with frequent flyer points are specifically within the rules.