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Join the Executive ClubLog in to On BusinessFlight cancellation and long delays – your rights
EU regulation has been put in place to ensure that there are common rules around compensation for passengers who have been affected by cancellations or other flight disruption. Find out more about your entitlements and how to claim compensation, a refund or reimbursement.
Flight Cancellation and Long Delays: Notification of Rights under EC Regulation No 261/2004 (as required by Article 14.2)
British Airways, its subsidiaries and franchisees make every effort to operate to their published schedules. There are occasions however, where it is not possible to do so and a flight may be delayed or cancelled. This notification informs you of your rights under EC Regulation No 261/2004 should this happen; it does not give you any additional contractual rights. This law is applicable to all passengers departing from an airport within the EU and to all passengers travelling into an EU Member State on an EU carrier unless they have received assistance in the country of departure. It is the operating carrier's responsibility to meet these requirements. This notification also explains how to claim compensation or a refund or reimbursement under this law in respect of a flight operated by British Airways Plc or a British Airways franchisee operating BA flights in or into Europe.
Flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions: Notification of Rights under Israel Aviation Services Law
If you've been on a flight departing from or flying to Israel and you've been denied boarding or your flight is cancelled, delayed or brought forward, you may be entitled to benefits under the Israel Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance for Flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions), 2012.
Passengers whose flight is cancelled, shall have the choice of either:
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Re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to the final destination of the ticket presented at check-in at the earliest opportunity or at a later date at the passenger's convenience, subject to availability; or
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A refund payable to the person who purchased the ticket. This applies to the part or parts of the journey not flown.
If your flight is delayed for five hours or more, the purchaser of your ticket is entitled to a refund for the part or parts of the journey not flown.
Right to reimbursement part(s) of the journey already flown that no longer serve any purpose in relation to the passenger’s original travel plans
If a cancellation or delay of five hours or more disrupts a connecting journey for which you hold a through ticket (with a planned connection time of 24 hours or less) and you no longer wish to continue to your destination, the operating carrier will provide a return flight to the original point of departure at the earliest opportunity as well as refunding the parts of the journey not flown. If you choose not to continue with your journey and decide to return to your point of departure, the purchaser of your ticket is entitled to receive a reimbursement for the part(s) of the journey which were flown, providing that you can prove that the journey no longer serves any purpose in relation to your original travel plans. To obtain a reimbursement of a flown sector, the purchaser of the ticket must make the claim at the same time as claiming the refund of the unflown sectors.
If you booked through a travel agent or tour operator.
Please contact them directly to get a refund.
If you booked directly with British Airways.
See rebook and refund options for delayed or cancelled flights.
Where a flight has been cancelled, or is subject to a long delay, passengers are entitled to refreshments and meals in a reasonable relation to their waiting time as well as means of contacting two people outside the airport. These provisions apply according to the duration of the expected delay and the distance of the flight as follows:
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Delay of two hours or more for flights of 1500 km or less
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Delay of three hours or more for all flights within the EU of more than 1500 km and all other flights between 1500km and 3500 km
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Delay of four hours or more for all other flights.
In addition, the operating carrier will provide hotel accommodation if necessary and provide transport between the airport and place of accommodation. Passengers will be advised of the arrangements for obtaining refreshments, transport and hotel accommodation, by the carrier.
Compensation can be claimed where you are either:
1) Delayed at your final destination by more than three hours and that delay arises from causes within the carrier's control (rather than extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided by all reasonable measures).
Or:
2) Informed of a cancellation less than fourteen days before the planned departure date that arises from causes within the carrier's control (rather than extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided by all reasonable measures), unless you are offered a re-route which allows departure and arrival at your final destination within the following times:
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If you are informed of the cancellation between thirteen and seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing you to depart no more than two hours before the scheduled time of departure and to reach your final destination less than four hours after the scheduled time of arrival; or
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If you are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing you to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled time of departure and to reach your final destination less than two hours after the scheduled time of arrival.
The levels of compensation are specified as follows:
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EUR 250 for flights of 1500 km or less
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EUR 400 for flights within the EU of more than 1500 km and for all other flights between 1500km and 3500 km
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EUR 600 for all other flights.
Compensation is reduced by 50% if any re-routing offered to your final destination results in a scheduled arrival time which does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the original flight by:
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Two hours for flights of 1500 km or less
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Three hours for all flights within the EU of more than 1500 km and for all other flights between 1500km and 3500 km
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Four hours for all other flights.
Please note that passengers are not entitled to compensation if they have been informed of a cancellation fourteen days or more before the planned departure date. Passengers will be informed of cancellations via the contact details given to the operating carrier with the booking by the passenger, the purchaser of the ticket or the travel agent.
To be eligible for any of the rights listed above, passengers must have a confirmed reservation on the flight (or have been transferred by us onto the flight from another flight on which they had a confirmed reservation) and be in possession of a paper ticket or e-ticket itinerary receipt (or, for UK tour operator bookings, an ATOL receipt specifying the flight).
In addition, passengers' rights in respect of a delay only arise if they have presented themselves for check-in in good time. If you do have any complaints regarding your ability to exercise your rights, please contact our Customer Relations department.
If you are unhappy with our response to your complaint, you can refer your complaint to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), who are approved by the Civil Aviation Authority to provide an independent resolution service for complaints about airlines. You will need to refer your complaint to them within 12 months. CEDR will be able to advise you if your complaint falls within the scope of what they can deal with.
Alternatively, you may use the European Commission’s online dispute resolution platform to submit your complaint.
European Commission Online Dispute Resolution service
Full contact details are available for your National Enforcement Body.