Flight Delayed Over 3 Hours? Here's What You're Owed

The clock that matters

Compensation schemes normally measure the delay at arrival, not departure. A flight that leaves two hours late and lands three and a half hours late is treated very differently from one that leaves late and makes up time in the air.

So write down the real arrival time. The airline knows it, but you want your own record.

While you are waiting

• Photograph the board each time the delay is extended. A sequence of screenshots tells the story better than memory.
• Ask staff, politely, what the cause is. Technical, crew, weather and air traffic control all lead to different outcomes.
• Ask about food vouchers. Many airlines provide them for long waits but will not offer unless asked.
• If the delay stretches into the night, ask about a hotel before the desk closes.

When compensation may apply

Under EU261, arrival delays of three hours or more on covered flights can trigger fixed compensation, unless the cause was an extraordinary circumstance outside the airline's control. The UK scheme works on the same shape of rules.

In the United States there is no federal fixed compensation for delays. The focus is on refunds when a flight is significantly changed or cancelled, and on the airline's own published commitments.

In Canada, compensation depends on whether the delay was within the airline's control, and on the size of the airline.

Delay length gets you attention. The cause decides the money.

What to keep

• Boarding passes and booking reference
• Screenshots of every delay notification
• Receipts for meals, transport and any unplanned hotel
• Anything in writing that states the cause