British Airways Delay Compensation: How to Claim Up to £520
BA flight delayed 3+ hours or cancelled? You could be owed up to £520 per passenger under UK261. Here is how to claim from British Airways, step by step.
British Airways is the UK's flag carrier, but that doesn't make it immune from compensation rules. If your BA flight arrived 3 or more hours late, was cancelled at short notice, or you were denied boarding, you could be owed up to £520 per passenger under UK261.
How much can you claim from British Airways?
- £220 for flights under 1,500km (e.g. London to Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin)
- £350 for flights between 1,500km and 3,500km (e.g. London to Athens, Istanbul, Marrakech)
- £520 for flights over 3,500km delayed 4+ hours (e.g. London to New York, Dubai, Singapore)
Because BA operates one of the largest long-haul networks from the UK, BA passengers are more likely than most to be in the top £520 bracket.
Does British Airways pay compensation?
BA has a better reputation than the low-cost carriers for eventually paying valid claims, but "eventually" is the key word. Passengers commonly report slow responses, template rejections citing extraordinary circumstances, and offers of Avios points instead of cash.
Two things worth knowing:
- You are entitled to cash, not Avios. You can refuse points and insist on money. The compensation amounts are fixed by law.
- IT failures are not extraordinary circumstances. BA has suffered several high-profile IT system outages that grounded flights. Courts and regulators have consistently treated these as within the airline's control, meaning compensation is payable.
What about connecting flights?
If you booked a connecting itinerary with BA on a single booking (for example Manchester to London to New York) and a delay on the first leg caused you to miss your connection, your compensation is based on the delay at your final destination. Arriving in New York 4 hours late puts you in the £520 bracket even if the original delay in Manchester was under an hour.
How far back can you claim?
Up to 6 years in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland. A delayed BA flight from several years ago may still be claimable today.
How to claim from British Airways
- Directly with BA. Use the compensation claim form on ba.com. It's free, but be prepared to chase, challenge rejections, and escalate to CEDR (BA's dispute resolution scheme) if they refuse or go quiet.
- Through Klaimly. We handle the whole process, including escalation, for a flat 5% fee, only if we win. You keep 95% of your payout.
What you'll need
- Your BA flight number (e.g. BA282)
- The date of the flight
- Your booking reference
- Your email address
Check your flight in under 2 minutes and see exactly what you're owed.