A diversion is one of the most confusing things that can happen on a flight. You land, but not where you meant to, and then wait for a coach, a taxi or another flight. Whether you're owed compensation depends on why it happened and how late you finally got to where you were going.
RIGHTS
Flight diverted to another airport? What you're owed
Your flight landed somewhere else. When a diversion means compensation, how the delay is measured, who pays the onward taxi, and which causes count.
We deal with the airline for you
- Flights from the last 6 years
- Every UK and EU airline
- No win, no fee
On this page
- Can I claim compensation if my flight was diverted?
- How is the delay measured when I land at a different airport?
- How much compensation for a diverted flight?
- Why was my flight diverted? Does the reason matter?
- Who pays for the coach or taxi after a diversion?
- What else is the airline obliged to do during a diversion?
- My flight returned to the airport it left from. Is that a diversion?
- What should I keep after a diversion?
- What does the airline usually say?
- Frequently asked questions
Can I claim compensation if my flight was diverted?
Possibly. A diversion isn't a separate category in the law. It's usually treated as a delay, and judged by the same tests:
- the flight is covered (it departed a UK or EU airport, or it was heading into the UK or EU on a UK or EU airline);
- you reached your intended destination, or an agreed nearby alternative, three hours or more late;
- the reason for the diversion, and the delay, was within the airline's control.
The key idea is that the delay is measured to where you were supposed to arrive, not to where the aircraft happened to land.
How is the delay measured when I land at a different airport?
It depends on where you landed.
At a different airport serving the same city or region. For example, a flight to Gatwick that lands at Stansted, or a flight to Paris Orly that lands at Charles de Gaulle. The airline must pay for your onward transport to your original airport, or to another nearby destination you agree. The delay is generally measured from your scheduled arrival time to when you actually get to that original airport or agreed destination.
At an airport far from your destination. For example, a flight to Bristol that lands in Manchester and then flies on later, or a flight to Malaga that ends up somewhere else entirely. If the aircraft eventually continues to your destination, the delay is measured at its final arrival there. If the airline abandons the flight and puts you on a coach or another flight, the time you reach your destination counts.
In both cases, if that final arrival is three hours or more after your scheduled time, and the cause wasn't extraordinary, compensation is due.
How much compensation for a diverted flight?
The standard amounts, by the distance of the flight you booked:
| Flight distance | UK departures (UK261) | EU departures (EC261) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | £220 | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | £350 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | £520 | €600 |
On flights over 3,500 km, if you reached your destination between three and four hours late, the airline can pay half. Every passenger with a seat is owed the full amount.
Why was my flight diverted? Does the reason matter?
Yes, it decides most diversion claims. Some reasons are within the airline's control and some aren't.
Usually not extraordinary (compensation due)
- A technical problem with the aircraft: a warning light, a hydraulic issue, a fault that made the crew land early. Technical faults are part of running an airline. See technical fault delays.
- Crew running out of hours after an earlier delay, so the aircraft can't continue.
- Fuel planning problems, where the aircraft didn't carry enough fuel for the expected holding or routing.
Often extraordinary (compensation usually not due)
- Weather at the destination: fog, storms or winds that genuinely stopped aircraft landing at the time.
- Runway or airport closure: an incident on the runway, or the airport shutting for a security alert.
- Air traffic control instructions to divert.
- A passenger medical emergency where the crew lands to get them help. This is generally accepted as outside the airline's control.
- A seriously disruptive passenger whose behaviour forces the crew to land. The EU court has accepted this can be extraordinary, unless the airline contributed to it, for example by letting someone obviously unfit board.
Even when the cause is extraordinary, the airline still has to take reasonable steps to limit the delay: arranging onward transport promptly rather than leaving you for hours.
Who pays for the coach or taxi after a diversion?
The airline. When it lands you at a different airport serving the same area, it has to cover the cost of getting you to your original airport or another nearby destination you agree. That applies whatever caused the diversion, including weather.
If the airline didn't arrange transport and you paid yourself, keep the receipts and claim them back. Reasonable means the sort of transport the airline would itself have provided: a train or coach, or a taxi if nothing else was available at that time of night.
What else is the airline obliged to do during a diversion?
The right to care applies just as it does for any delay:
- food and drink while you wait, in proportion to how long you're waiting;
- a hotel and transfers if you need to stay overnight;
- two phone calls or emails.
This applies even when the diversion was caused by weather or a medical emergency. See what the airline owes you during a delay.
My flight returned to the airport it left from. Is that a diversion?
It's treated in the same way. If the aircraft turned back, and you then flew later on a replacement or the same aircraft, the question is how late you reached your destination and why the aircraft turned back. A technical issue that forced a return is generally the airline's responsibility.
If the airline cancelled the flight after the return, the cancellation rules apply: you choose between a refund or a new flight, and compensation may be due on top. See refund vs compensation.
What should I keep after a diversion?
- Your boarding pass and booking confirmation.
- Any announcements or messages giving the reason for the diversion. A note on your phone of what the crew said is useful.
- The time you actually reached your intended destination.
- Receipts for any transport, food or hotel you paid for.
What does the airline usually say?
"The diversion was for safety reasons." Safety is always the right call for the crew to make. That doesn't settle who pays. A safety diversion caused by a technical fault is still a technical fault.
"The weather at the destination was bad." We look at the weather reports for the destination airport around your scheduled arrival time. If other flights were landing normally, the explanation needs to be checked. Our guide to extraordinary circumstances explains how.
"You arrived at an airport, so the flight wasn't delayed." Landing somewhere else isn't arriving. The delay is measured to your intended destination.
Diverted and arrived hours late? Enter the flight number and date and we'll tell you whether it qualifies. No win, no fee: 30% including VAT, nothing up front. Check my flight
Frequently asked questions
Do I get compensation if my flight was diverted?
If you reached your intended destination three hours or more late, and the reason for the diversion was within the airline's control, yes.
Is a diversion because of a medical emergency compensated?
Usually not. A passenger's medical emergency is generally treated as outside the airline's control. You're still owed food, drink, a hotel if needed, and transport to your destination.
The airline put us on a coach. Does the coach journey count towards the delay?
Yes. The delay is measured to when you reach your original destination, or the nearby alternative you agreed.
Can I claim for the taxi I took after a diversion?
Yes, if the airline didn't arrange transport and the cost was reasonable. Keep the receipt.
Our flight returned to the departure airport with a technical issue. Can we claim?
Probably. A technical problem is generally the airline's responsibility. If you then reached your destination three hours or more late, or the flight was cancelled, compensation is likely due.
