Emirates delay compensation: which flights are covered

Emirates is based in Dubai, not in the UK or EU. That changes which of its flights the compensation rules cover, and it catches a lot of passengers out on the way home. This guide explains which Emirates flights qualify, how much you can claim, and what happens if Emirates refuses.

Can I claim compensation from Emirates?

Only for flights that leave a UK or EU airport. That's the key rule for any airline from outside Europe.

• Covered: Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow or any other UK airport to Dubai, and Emirates flights leaving EU airports.
• Not covered: Dubai to the UK or EU, and anything else that starts outside Europe.

UK and EU rules cover flights into the UK or EU only when they are run by a UK or EU airline. Emirates is neither, so its flights from Dubai to London fall outside both.

For a covered flight, the usual conditions apply. You must have arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, or had the flight cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or been denied boarding, and the cause must have been within the airline's control.

Why isn't my return flight covered if I booked a return ticket?

Because the law treats the outward and return trips as separate journeys. The EU Court of Justice decided this in Emirates v Schenkel (2008), a case about this very airline. A passenger flew Düsseldorf to Manila via Dubai and back, and the return leg was cancelled. The court held that the return, which started in Manila, was a separate journey that started outside the EU, so it was not covered.

The ruling came before Brexit and remains part of UK law.

So if your outbound flight from Manchester was late, you may have a claim. If your return from Dubai was late, you usually won't under these rules, however the ticket was sold.

How much does Emirates have to pay?

Almost every Emirates flight from the UK or EU is long-haul, so the top band usually applies.

Some examples, measured airport to airport:

• Heathrow to Dubai, about 5,495 km: £520.
• Manchester to Dubai, about 5,655 km: £520.
• Milan Malpensa to New York JFK, about 6,415 km: €600. Emirates flies some routes between Europe and other destinations, and these are covered because they leave the EU.

Every passenger on the booking gets the full amount, including children with their own seat. A family of four delayed five hours from Heathrow to Dubai would be owed 4 × £520 = £2,080.

The half-rate rule

On flights over 3,500 km, if you arrived between three and four hours late, the airline may pay half: £260 or €300. Four hours or more and the full amount is due. On Emirates claims, that line matters a lot.

What if I was connecting in Dubai?

This is where Emirates claims get interesting. If your journey started in the UK or EU and was on one booking, it's treated as one journey to your final destination, including the leg out of Dubai.

The EU Court of Justice confirmed this in Wegener v Royal Air Maroc (2018): a passenger flying from Berlin to Agadir via Casablanca, both legs run by a non-EU airline, was covered for a problem on the second leg outside Europe. That case is also part of UK law.

An example. You book Manchester to Bangkok via Dubai on one Emirates ticket. The Manchester flight is on time, but the Dubai to Bangkok flight is delayed by a crew problem and you land in Bangkok five hours late. The journey started in the UK, so UK261 can apply. Manchester to Bangkok is about 9,630 km: £520 per passenger.

The same journey in reverse, Bangkok to Manchester via Dubai, started outside Europe, so it isn't covered.

See our guide to missed connecting flights for more on how connections are judged.

How do I claim from Emirates?

You can claim from Emirates yourself, for free. Or we can send the claim for you from day one, with your booking details and a signed authority to act, and handle every reply.

We'll need:

• the booking reference and names of everyone on it;
• boarding passes or e-tickets for every flight in the journey;
• photo ID, so the airline can match you to the booking.

How long does Emirates take to reply?

We allow Emirates 28 days to respond. If it hasn't, we chase. If it refuses and we think it's wrong, we reply with the law and the evidence and set a deadline. See how long flight compensation takes.

What does Emirates say when it refuses?

"The flight isn't covered." Sometimes correct, for flights from Dubai. Check where your journey started.

"Extraordinary circumstances." Fog or heavy rain at Dubai, or airspace restrictions in the region, can be genuine. A technical fault or a crew shortage is not; the EU Court of Justice has read the defence narrowly since Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia (2008). See extraordinary circumstances explained.

"The incoming aircraft was late." Emirates aircraft often arrive from Dubai and turn straight round. A knock-on delay is only extraordinary if the original cause was.

Emirates is a member of CEDR, an independent dispute scheme approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, and its decisions bind the airline. If a claim we believe is valid is still refused, we can refer it to CEDR at no cost to you. For flights from EU airports, complaints can also go to the enforcement body of the departure country.

How long do I have to claim?

For flights from the UK, six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland. For flights from EU countries, it depends on the country. See claiming for an old delay.

You can see how we handle Emirates claims on our Emirates airline page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I claim for a delayed Emirates flight from Dubai to London?

Usually not. Emirates isn't a UK or EU airline, and the flight started outside Europe, so neither UK261 nor EC261 covers it.

My return ticket started in London. Isn't the whole trip covered?

No. The outward and return trips are separate journeys in law (Emirates v Schenkel, 2008). Only the outward trip, which started in the UK, is covered.

I missed my connection in Dubai on the way out. Can I claim?

If the journey started in the UK or EU on one booking and you reached your final destination three hours or more late for a reason within the airline's control, yes.

Is Emirates in a dispute scheme?

Yes. Emirates is a member of CEDR, whose decisions are binding on the airline.