Passenger rights guides

EU rules may apply to flights departing the EU and to some flights arriving in the EU on EU carriers. They cover care, rerouting or reimbursement, and possible fixed compensation for qualifying delays, cancellations, and denied boarding.

UK passenger-rights rules broadly cover flights departing the UK and some UK/EU airline flights arriving in the UK. They can include care, rerouting or reimbursement, and fixed compensation for qualifying disruption.

The US does not use an EU-style fixed compensation system for ordinary delays. DOT rules and airline commitments focus on refunds, controllable cancellation/delay services, tarmac-delay protections, complaint handling, and denied-boarding compensation.

Claim directly with the operating airline. Use official airline-owned forms or passenger-rights pages, keep evidence, avoid middlemen, and escalate only after the airline has had a fair chance to respond.

Delay rights depend on the route, airline, reason for delay, and final arrival delay. EU/UK rules may provide fixed compensation in qualifying cases; US passengers should check refund rules and airline commitments.

Cancellation rights can include reimbursement, rerouting, care, and in some jurisdictions compensation. The notice period, reason, route, and replacement-flight timing matter.

Denied boarding rules differ by region. EU/UK rules may cover involuntary denied boarding where passengers checked in on time; US DOT rules cover bumping due to oversales in specific circumstances.

Baggage rules vary by route and carrier. Most airlines follow Montreal Convention limits for international flights, and some jurisdictions add local protections. Document everything before leaving the airport.

A downgrade can entitle you to a partial refund of the fare difference under some passenger-rights regimes. The rules depend on the route, the reason, and how the airline handles it.

Tarmac-delay rules differ sharply by country. US DOT rules set maximum times before passengers must be allowed to deplane. EU/UK rules may treat long tarmac delays as qualifying delays for care and compensation purposes.

Protection depends on whether the flights were booked together, the airline's responsibility for the delay, and the jurisdiction. Self-transfer itineraries often have different or no protection.

Refund rights vary by reason. Cancellations by the airline, significant schedule changes, and some controllable delays may entitle you to a refund. Voluntary changes usually follow the fare rules you agreed to.