easyJet's business model relies on high aircraft utilisation and tight turnarounds across more than 1,000 European routes. It is efficient — but it also means a single morning disruption can cascade through an entire day of rotations. If your flight arrived late, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (and its British counterpart, UK261) may entitle you to a fixed cash payment, regardless of how little you paid for the ticket.
Which rules cover your easyJet flight?
easyJet operates under three separate licences: easyJet UK, easyJet Europe (Austrian certificate) and easyJet Switzerland. To identify the applicable regime:
- Departing from an EU airport — EC 261/2004 applies, whatever the destination.
- Departing from a non-EU airport to the EU — EC 261/2004 applies when the operating carrier is an EU airline, which covers easyJet Europe and easyJet Switzerland flights.
- Departing from the UK — UK261 applies, with amounts in sterling: £220, £350 or £520 depending on distance.
So a delayed Gatwick–Malaga flight falls under UK261, while the return leg from Malaga is governed by EU law.
The three-hour threshold at arrival
Fixed compensation becomes payable when the delay reaches 3 hours or more at your final destination. Two technical points decide many claims:
- Arrival matters, not departure. A flight leaving 3 h 20 late but making up time and landing 2 h 50 late does not qualify.
- Arrival is the moment at least one aircraft door is opened, not touchdown. Taxiing time and bus-gate waits count in your favour.
On a single booking with a connection, the delay is measured on arrival at the last destination. A short delay on the first leg that causes a missed connection can therefore trigger a full payment.
How much: €250, €400 or €600
Amounts depend solely on the great-circle distance of the flight:
- €250 — flights up to 1,500 km: Paris–Nice, Amsterdam–Lyon, Milan–Palma, Geneva–Naples.
- €400 — intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km: Berlin–Athens, Basel–Lanzarote, Geneva–Tel Aviv, Nice–Marrakech.
- €600 — flights over 3,500 km between an EU airport and a third country, such as services to Egypt (Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh) or Jordan.
Compensation is paid per passenger, including children holding a paid seat, and is independent of the fare or of any travel insurance you hold.
When easyJet can lawfully say no
Airlines are exempt in case of extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken: severe weather, air traffic control strikes or restrictions, airport closures, runway incidents, bird strikes, medical emergencies on board, security threats.
European case law is equally clear about what does not count:
- routine technical failures inherent to operating an aircraft;
- strikes by the airline's own staff, including pilots and cabin crew;
- crew shortages, rostering problems and knock-on delays from earlier rotations;
- overbooking or commercial decisions to consolidate flights.
The burden of proof lies with the carrier. easyJet must evidence the cause it invokes — you do not have to disprove it.
Care and assistance while you wait
Separately from compensation, once the delay at departure reaches 2 hours the airline must provide duty of care: drinks and meals proportionate to the waiting time, means of communication, plus hotel accommodation and transfers if an overnight stay becomes necessary. This obligation applies even during extraordinary circumstances. If nothing is offered, pay reasonable costs yourself and keep every receipt.
Beyond 5 hours of delay, you may abandon the trip and claim a full refund of the unused portion of your ticket.
Delay turned into cancellation
Long delays are sometimes converted into cancellations with rebooking on the next day's flight. The cancellation regime then applies: compensation remains due when notice was given less than 14 days before departure, unless you were offered re-routing at times very close to the original schedule.
You can look back up to 3 years
Depending on the jurisdiction, claims can generally be brought up to 3 years after the flight. A disrupted easyJet flight from summer 2023 may still be actionable. Gather: booking confirmation, boarding passes, easyJet emails or SMS notifications, a screenshot of the actual arrival time, and receipts for meals, hotels or transport.
Be careful with vouchers and goodwill gestures offered at the airport. Accepting a food voucher does not remove your statutory rights, but avoid signing anything that waives your entitlement under Regulation 261/2004.
Check your eligibility in two minutes
Our simulator uses your flight number, route distance and delay length to estimate the amount that applies to your case. If your claim qualifies, we handle the out-of-court negotiation with easyJet on your behalf: nothing to pay upfront, and a 35% commission charged only if we succeed.
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