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Passengers on short haul flights to and from the UK are often entitled to at least £220 in compensation when severe delays ruin their travel plans, but a strict time based rule decides who actually gets paid.
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How the three hour arrival rule unlocks £220 payouts
Under UK and EU air passenger rights rules, the trigger for cash compensation is not how late a flight leaves the gate but how late it arrives at its final destination. Public guidance from both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and EU institutions describes this as a “loss of time” test: you become eligible when you reach your destination three hours or more after the arrival time shown on your ticket.
For short haul flights of up to 1,500 kilometres covered by UK261 or EU261, that three hour threshold corresponds to a fixed minimum payment of €250. In the UK, consumer guidance from organisations such as Citizens Advice converts this to £220 for flights that arrive three hours late or more where the airline is at fault and no extraordinary circumstances apply.
This time rule means long queues on the tarmac do not automatically create a right to compensation. A flight that leaves two hours behind schedule can sometimes make up time in the air and arrive less than three hours late, which would normally fall short of the compensation threshold even if the experience for passengers felt chaotic.
Equally, a modest delay at take off can push you past the limit by the time bags reach the carousel. What matters in practice is the recorded arrival time at the gate or stand at your final destination, not the published departure time or how long you spent waiting in the departure lounge.
When the clock starts and stops on a delayed journey
The three hour test applies to the moment an aircraft actually arrives at the gate and the doors are opened, which is treated as the point passengers are able to disembark. European case law and guidance summarised in official factsheets and national regulator information bases the compensation decision on this arrival time compared with the schedule printed on the booking confirmation.
For journeys with a connection, the key reference is the delay at the final destination, not at an intermediate airport. EU guidance on passenger rights explains that if you miss a connecting flight and arrive at your final destination more than three hours late, you may still qualify for compensation even if one individual leg was delayed by less than three hours.
The rule applies regardless of whether you chose to be rerouted or accepted a later alternative flight offered by the airline. Where rerouting involves landing at a different airport that still serves the same city, official EU and UK material indicates that travel time to the originally booked airport or agreed nearby location can be counted when assessing whether the three hour threshold has been crossed.
Passengers should therefore keep boarding passes, booking confirmations and any rerouting emails or app notifications that show original and revised arrival times, as these are crucial for proving that the key time rule was triggered.
Which flights qualify for the £220 band
The £220 figure most commonly quoted in UK consumer advice relates to short haul flights of up to 1,500 kilometres. According to published guidance on UK261 and EU261, this band covers typical routes such as London to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin or Barcelona where a three hour or longer arrival delay can generate a fixed payment at this level.
Eligibility, however, depends not only on distance and delay but also on where the flight departs and the type of airline operating it. Public information from regulators explains that UK261 generally applies to any flight leaving a UK airport, regardless of carrier, and to flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline. EU261 applies to flights departing from an EU airport on any carrier and to flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier.
In practice, this means many travellers on UK or European short haul routes fall under at least one of the two regimes, but flights from non European countries into the UK on non European airlines are usually outside their scope. In those cases, local law or the airline’s own policies, rather than the three hour rule, determine what compensation is available.
Where both UK261 and EU261 could potentially apply to the same itinerary, consumer advocates typically suggest claiming under the regime that offers the clearer or more favourable interpretation for the route, while noting that compensation amounts for short haul delays are aligned around the €250 or £220 level.
Delays that will not earn compensation
The three hour rule only operates where the disruption is considered to be within the airline’s control. UK and EU guidance list “extraordinary circumstances” as situations that remove the obligation to pay compensation, even when the arrival delay is well over three hours. Examples commonly cited include severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security alerts and some forms of industrial action not directly related to the airline itself.
Technical problems and routine maintenance are generally treated differently. Court decisions and regulatory explanations have repeatedly indicated that many technical faults are part of normal airline operations, so long delays caused by avoidable technical issues can still trigger compensation where the three hour arrival threshold is met.
Passengers should also be aware that if they are informed of a cancellation or major schedule change more than 14 days before departure, the fixed sum compensation regime usually does not apply, even if they end up arriving much later on a rebooked service. In those situations, refunds or rebooking options are available, but the £220 short haul payment is unlikely to be due.
In every case, airlines remain obliged to offer care and assistance during long waits when UK261 or EU261 applies, such as meals, refreshments and accommodation where overnight stays become necessary. These entitlements sit alongside, and are not limited by, the three hour compensation rule.
How to use the time rule when making a claim
Understanding that the law focuses on arrival time helps passengers prepare stronger claims. Guidance from consumer organisations recommends gathering evidence of the scheduled and actual arrival times, including screenshots from airline apps, airport information boards and any written explanation of the cause of the delay.
Once you have confirmed that your flight qualifies under UK261 or EU261, check whether the distance between origin and destination falls into the short haul band of up to 1,500 kilometres. If it does, and your arrival delay was three hours or longer for reasons within the airline’s control, you can submit a claim quoting the £220 or €250 short haul compensation bracket.
If an airline rejects a claim on the basis that the delay was under three hours, passengers can compare the carrier’s figures with publicly available flight data, which is sometimes referenced in regulatory material and independent advice. Where the disagreement relates to extraordinary circumstances rather than timing, escalation options include complaints to national enforcement bodies or recognised alternative dispute resolution schemes.
Travel experts also caution that claims agencies will often take a commission from any compensation awarded, sometimes a substantial share. Because the key rule is relatively clear once the route, timing and cause of delay are established, many passengers are able to rely on free templates and official online forms to pursue the £220 payment themselves.
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/air-passenger-rights/
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm