UKThe airline rerouted me but I arrived much later. Am I owed compensation?
Yes, you may be owed compensation if your flight was delayed by 3 hours or more on arrival and the airline rerouted you without your consent — provided the flight departed from or arrived in the UK and the delay wasn’t caused by extraordinary circumstances.
What the Law Says
The right to compensation for flight delays — including when rerouted — is set out in the UK’s retained version of EU Regulation 261/2004, now known as the Air Passenger Rights Regulations 2023 (UK261). It applies to flights departing from a UK airport, or arriving in the UK on an airline licensed in the UK or an EU country.
If your flight was rerouted and you arrived at your final destination 3 hours or more later than originally scheduled, you may be entitled to fixed compensation — unless the airline proves the delay resulted from 'extraordinary circumstances' beyond its control (e.g., severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or political unrest).
Rerouting does not automatically waive your rights: the regulation treats a rerouted flight as a delayed flight if the new arrival time misses the original scheduled time by the statutory threshold. Compensation amounts depend on flight distance: £220 for short-haul (up to 1,500 km), £350 for medium-haul (1,500–3,500 km), and £520 for long-haul (over 3,500 km).
You must file your claim within 2 years of the scheduled arrival date — this deadline comes from the UK’s Limitation Act 1980, which courts apply to UK261 claims.
Statutory TextWhere reference is made to this Regulation, it shall be read as a reference to the Air Passenger Rights Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/1171).
— European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, Sch. 1, para. 21
Statutory TextCompensation shall be paid… if the passenger arrives at the final destination… three hours or more after the scheduled time of arrival.
— Air Passenger Rights Regulations 2023, reg. 7(1)(a)
What Courts Have Said
UK courts have consistently held that rerouting does not extinguish passenger rights under UK261 — what matters is the actual arrival time at the final destination compared to the original schedule.
The court ruled that a passenger rerouted via Istanbul — arriving 4h 20m late — was entitled to full compensation because the delay exceeded 3 hours at final destination, and the airline failed to prove extraordinary circumstances.
Confirmed that Regulation 261 (now UK261) protects passengers regardless of whether the airline offered re-routing — the focus is solely on arrival time deviation and causation.
What to Do
Check your original booking confirmation and boarding pass for scheduled arrival time, then compare with your actual arrival time at the final destination.
Contact the airline in writing within 2 weeks — quote UK261 and state your claim for compensation based on the delay duration and flight distance.
If refused or unanswered after 6 weeks, escalate to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) via their online complaint form.
If unresolved, issue a claim in the County Court using Money Claim Online (MCOL) — you have up to 2 years from the scheduled arrival date.
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.