Flight compensation under UK261 is one of the most successful consumer rights regimes in law. Airlines pay out billions — but they rarely pay voluntarily. Drafted properly, a letter of claim produces payment in 30–60 days.
What triggers compensation
- Cancellation — flight cancelled within 14 days of departure without adequate rerouting
- Long delay — 3+ hours at arrival, where airline fault
- Denied boarding — overbooking or involuntary offload
Compensation amounts
- Under 1,500 km — £220
- 1,500–3,500 km (intra-EU over 1,500km) — £350
- Over 3,500 km — £520
50% reduction where rerouting got passenger to destination within 2/3/4 hours of original arrival.
Plus rights (cumulative, not alternative)
- Right to care (meals, accommodation if overnight)
- Right to reimbursement or rerouting (traveller’s choice)
- Compensation (above)
- Damages for consequential loss under Montreal Convention (where applicable)
What is NOT extraordinary (airline fault)
- Technical issues with the aircraft
- Airline crew unavailability
- Airline IT failures
- Unusual but foreseeable maintenance
What IS extraordinary (no compensation — but care still due)
- Severe weather (genuinely severe)
- ATC decisions imposed on the airline
- Political instability affecting the route
- Security risks
- Airport strikes (not airline crew strikes)
Let Chris draft this for you
Upload the receipt, correspondence, photos. Chris drafts a letter the retailer’s legal team takes seriously — statute cited, remedy specific, timeline firm.
Structure — the Litigant Standard
1. Flight details
Flight number, date, route, scheduled and actual times, booking reference.
2. The delay/cancellation
Facts with evidence — boarding passes, delay confirmation email, screenshots.
3. Legal basis
“Compensation claimed under Article 7 Regulation (EC) 261/2004 (retained as UK261). Delay of [X] hours at arrival meets threshold under Sturgeon / Nelson. The delay was not extraordinary because [reason — ordinarily airline fault].”
4. Remedy
“Compensation of £[amount] plus any consequential losses (quantified). Payment within 30 days, failing which CAA complaint and MCOL claim will follow.”
The airlines’ playbook and how Chris defeats it
- “Extraordinary circumstances” — airline must prove it. Chris requests the technical log, ATC notice, or evidence.
- Offering vouchers — not a valid discharge unless you accept. Reject and demand cash.
- “Third-party carrier” — operating carrier is liable regardless of who sold ticket.
- Time-limit excuses — 6 years under Limitation Act applies in most cases.
Escalation
- CAA complaint (or alternative dispute resolution provider for airline)
- Money Claim Online — small claims track
- Enforcement through County Court Bailiff
Can Chris draft the flight compensation claim?
Yes. Upload booking, delay confirmation, correspondence. Chris drafts the claim letter with UK261/EC261 citations, Sturgeon/Nelson references, extraordinary circumstances rebuttal framework, and escalation timeline. £30 per claim. Claims companies take 25%+ of what they recover for identical drafting.
Prepare to win. Plan not to fail.
The law is settled. The amounts are fixed. The only variable is who drafts.
£30 squids — the retailer stops ignoring you.
Chris drafts the letter the retailer’s customer service team escalates. Consumer Rights Act citations, regulation numbers, remedy quantified. Refund before we file a document that isn’t ready.
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Letters. Forms. Applications. Complaints. Appeals. Chris drafts any document that has to be taken seriously — to the standard that gets read.
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