If your EasyJet flight was delayed by more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation of up to €600 under EU Regulation EC 261/2004 — regardless of how much you paid for your ticket. Every year, millions of EasyJet passengers miss out on money they're legally owed simply because they don't know the rules.
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EasyJet is one of Europe's largest low-cost carriers, operating more than 300 routes across 35 countries. From Gatwick, Luton, Bristol and Edinburgh, EasyJet flies millions of passengers every year. Delays happen regularly, and when they do, EU law is firmly on your side.
When are you entitled to EasyJet compensation?
EC 261/2004 applies when all of the following conditions are met:
Flight conditions:
- Your flight arrived at its destination 3 hours or more late (it's the actual arrival time that counts, not the departure delay)
- The flight departed from an airport within the European Union — this covers EasyJet flights from any EU country
- Or the flight was operated by EasyJet Europe (an Austrian-registered company) arriving in the EU from a non-EU country
Passenger conditions:
- You had a confirmed booking on the flight
- You checked in within the time limits stated by EasyJet (usually 45 minutes before departure)
- You were not travelling on a free ticket or a non-publicly available discounted fare
Brexit and EasyJet — what you need to know: after Brexit, EasyJet transferred its intra-EU operations to EasyJet Europe, an Austrian-registered airline. This means EC 261/2004 rights still apply in full for all intra-EU EasyJet flights. For flights departing the UK, the equivalent UK261 regulation applies, granting similar rights.
EasyJet compensation amounts
The regulation sets fixed compensation amounts based on flight distance, not ticket price:
| Flight distance | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
Examples of EasyJet routes from the UK:
- London Gatwick → Amsterdam (370 km) : €250 per passenger
- London Luton → Barcelona (1,440 km) : €250 per passenger
- Bristol → Rome Fiumicino (1,507 km) : €400 per passenger
- Edinburgh → Malaga (2,044 km) : €400 per passenger
- London Gatwick → Hurghada (3,749 km) : €600 per passenger
These amounts apply per passenger. A family of four on a delayed London–Edinburgh flight would receive €1,000 in total.
Note: EasyJet may reduce compensation by 50% if it offers you a reroute that arrives at your final destination with a limited delay (under 2 hours for short-haul, under 3 hours for medium-haul).
How to claim EasyJet compensation — step by step
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Before submitting a claim, confirm:
- Was the arrival delay 3 hours or more?
- Was the cause something within EasyJet's control (not extreme weather or air traffic control strikes)?
- Did your flight depart from an EU airport, or was it operated by EasyJet Europe?
Step 2: Submit your claim on easyjet.com
EasyJet has a dedicated claims form on its website:
- Log in to your EasyJet account or go to "My Bookings"
- Select the affected flight
- Click on "Claim compensation"
- Complete the form with details of the delay
Step 3: Documents to prepare
- EasyJet booking reference (format: ABC1234)
- Bank account details (IBAN or sort code/account number)
- Boarding pass or check-in confirmation
- Screenshots of delay notifications received by email or text, if available
Step 4: Response timescale
EasyJet is legally required to respond within 28 days. In practice, responses typically take 6 to 12 weeks. If you receive no response or your claim is rejected, escalate.
Why EasyJet sometimes refuses to pay
EasyJet, like most airlines, uses several strategies to reject or delay compensation claims:
1. "Extraordinary circumstances" This is the most common defence. EasyJet can legally refuse to pay if the delay was caused by events outside its control: extreme weather, airspace closures, air traffic control strikes (but not EasyJet's own staff strikes). The extraordinary circumstance must be directly linked to your specific flight.
2. Technical faults EasyJet sometimes claims mechanical failures are "extraordinary circumstances". This is usually legally incorrect: European case law (Wallentin-Hermann, 2008) establishes that predictable technical problems arising from normal operations do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances.
3. How the 3-hour rule is measured EasyJet may measure delay from the departure time rather than actual arrival. Under EU case law (Germanwings, 2014), it is the moment aircraft doors open at the destination that determines the delay. Challenge any interpretation based on departure time.
What to do if EasyJet rejects your claim
A rejection from EasyJet is not the end of the road. You have several options:
Option 1: National enforcement body In the UK, you can complain to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In EU countries, each country has its own enforcement body. These processes are free but can take several months.
Option 2: Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) EasyJet uses CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) as its ADR scheme. You can submit a case online. The process is free to you and typically takes 3–6 months.
Option 3: Professional claims service Services like AirHelp handle your entire claim:
- Over 10 million passengers helped since 2013
- Success rate above 85% for EasyJet cases
- 35% commission only if your claim succeeds — you pay nothing if it fails
- They manage all correspondence, ADR and court proceedings if necessary
Option 4: Court action As a last resort, you can take EasyJet to the small claims court. For amounts under £10,000 in England and Wales, no solicitor is required. Delays are long (12–24 months) but success rates are high for well-documented cases.
FAQ — EasyJet flight delays
Does EasyJet actually pay compensation? Yes, but almost never voluntarily. EasyJet pays legitimate compensation only when passengers make an explicit claim and follow through. Without a formal request, nothing happens. With a well-documented claim, success rates are high.
How long does it take to receive EasyJet compensation? On average, 2 to 8 months, depending on the complexity of the case. Straightforward claims submitted directly on easyjet.com can resolve in 6–8 weeks. Disputed cases going through ADR or a professional service take 3–6 months longer.
Did Brexit change my rights with EasyJet? For intra-EU flights: no. EasyJet Europe (Austrian-registered) operates these routes and is fully subject to EC 261/2004. For flights departing the UK: UK261 applies, which mirrors EU rights almost exactly. Your rights are substantially the same.
EasyJet flight from Gatwick to Paris — what are my rights? If your flight departs from the UK, UK261 applies. If it departs from Paris CDG or any EU airport, EC 261/2004 applies. Either way, you have the same core rights: up to €600 (or equivalent) compensation for delays of 3+ hours at arrival.
Can I claim for every passenger on my booking? Yes. Compensation is individual — every passenger, adult or child (with their own paid seat), is entitled to the same amount. If you travelled with 3 people and your EasyJet flight from Bristol to Rome was delayed by 3+ hours, your total entitlement is 3 × €400 = €1,200.
Not sure how much you can claim? Use our compensation calculator to check your eligibility in under a minute. For a full overview of your passenger rights, see our guide to EC 261/2004.