Jet2 delay compensation: what you're owed and how to claim

Jet2 flies holidaymakers from UK regional airports to the sun, and a delayed Jet2 flight often means a whole family waiting at the gate. Each of them may be owed compensation. Here's how a Jet2 claim works.

Can I claim compensation from Jet2?

Jet2.com Limited is a UK airline, so its flights are covered in both directions:

• flights from the UK fall under UK261;
• flights back to the UK are covered because Jet2 is a UK airline arriving in the UK;
• flights from an EU airport are also covered by the EU's rules, EC261.

You can claim if you arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, the flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you were denied boarding, and the cause was within Jet2's control.

How much does Jet2 have to pay?

The amount is set by distance, not by what you paid or whether the flight was part of a package.

Most Jet2 routes are in the middle band. Some examples, measured airport to airport:

• Manchester to Alicante, about 1,680 km: £350.
• Leeds Bradford to Palma, about 1,625 km: £350.
• Manchester to Dalaman, about 3,025 km: £350.
• Birmingham to Gran Canaria, about 2,950 km: £350.

Every passenger on the booking with a seat is owed the full amount. A family of four delayed over three hours from Manchester to Alicante would be owed 4 × £350 = £1,400.

Distances near the 1,500 km line matter. A route just under it is £220; just over, £350. We measure the actual distance between the two airports for every claim.

Does it matter that I booked a Jet2holidays package?

Not for compensation. The claim for a delay or cancellation goes against the airline that operated the flight, which for Jet2holidays packages is normally Jet2.com.

Separately, the package organiser has its own duties under the Package Travel Regulations: for example, if the delay cost you part of the holiday you paid for. That is a different claim, against a different company, and an airline can take account of one payment when calculating the other. If your problem is mainly with the holiday itself, rather than the flight, say so when you contact us and we'll tell you honestly whether we can help.

Why is Jet2 famous in flight compensation law?

Because of Huzar v Jet2.com, decided by the Court of Appeal in 2014. Mr Huzar's flight from Malaga to Manchester was delayed by a wiring fault. Jet2 argued that an unexpected technical fault was an "extraordinary circumstance".

The court disagreed. Technical problems that come up in the normal running of an airline, even unexpected ones, are part of the airline's business. They are not extraordinary. That decision binds courts in England and Wales and is the reason "technical fault" refusals are usually wrong. Our guide to technical fault delays covers the exceptions.

How do I claim from Jet2?

You can claim from Jet2 directly, for free. If you'd rather hand it over, we send the claim for you from day one. Jet2 does not publish a claims email, so formal claims go to the airline in writing by post, which we handle.

What we need from you:

• the booking reference and names of everyone travelling;
• a boarding pass or booking confirmation;
• photo ID, so the airline can match you to the booking.

How long does Jet2 take to reply?

We allow Jet2 30 days to reply to a claim. If it doesn't, we chase. If it refuses and we disagree, we reply in writing with the law and set a deadline.

See how long flight compensation takes for honest ranges.

What if Jet2 refuses?

This is where Jet2 differs from many UK airlines. Jet2 is not a member of an approved dispute scheme such as CEDR or AviationADR. That means there is no independent scheme that can make a binding decision against it.

The routes left are:

• a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority, whose complaints team deals with airlines outside the dispute schemes. Its view is not binding, but it can help;
• the county court. In England and Wales, a claim of this size goes on the small claims track and can be started online. Jet2 lost the leading case on technical faults in that same court system.

We tell you before anything goes to court, and there is no extra fee if it does.

What does Jet2 say when it refuses?

"Extraordinary circumstances: weather." Sometimes true. Storms and fog do close airports. We check whether the weather at your airports, at your times, actually stopped flights. Weather somewhere else that didn't affect your aircraft doesn't count.

"Air traffic control restrictions." Slot restrictions over France and Spain are a real cause of summer delays, and they can be extraordinary. But the airline still has to show they caused your delay, and that it took reasonable steps.

"Knock-on delay." If your aircraft arrived late from an earlier flight, the question is why that earlier flight was late. If the first cause was Jet2's, so is yours.

What should Jet2 give me at the airport?

Meals and drinks once the delay passes two or three hours, depending on distance, and a hotel with transfers if you're stuck overnight. This applies whatever the cause, even bad weather. If Jet2 doesn't provide it, keep receipts and claim the cost back. Our guide to what the airline owes you during a delay explains the limits.

How long do I have?

Six years from the flight in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, five years in Scotland. A Jet2 holiday from three summers ago is very likely still claimable. See old flight delays.

You can see how we handle Jet2 claims on our Jet2 airline page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Jet2 pay compensation for a 3-hour delay?

It has to if you arrived three hours or more late and the cause was within its control. For most Jet2 holiday routes, that's £350 per passenger.

Is Jet2 in an ADR scheme?

No. Jet2 is not a member of CEDR or AviationADR, so a disputed claim goes to the Civil Aviation Authority or the county court instead.

My Jet2 flight was part of a package. Who pays?

The airline that operated the flight, normally Jet2.com, pays the delay compensation. The package organiser handles problems with the holiday itself.

Jet2 said the delay was a technical fault. Can I still claim?

Usually yes. The Court of Appeal ruled against Jet2 on exactly this point in Huzar v Jet2.com (2014). Technical faults are generally the airline's responsibility.

Do children get compensation on Jet2?

Yes, every passenger with their own seat is owed the full amount, including children.