How to claim easyJet delay compensation: amounts, steps and excuses that don’t hold up
Reviewed by José Romero Lara
EU261 aviation lawyer — 5+ years as in-house legal counsel at international airlines
If your easyJet flight reached its final destination 3 or more hours late, Regulation (EC) 261/2004 entitles you to €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. This guide covers when the Regulation applies to easyJet, what you’re owed and how to file the claim.
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Check my flight1When EU261 applies to an easyJet flight
easyJet flies under three group airlines: easyJet UK, easyJet Europe (Austrian licence) and easyJet Switzerland. What decides whether the European Regulation applies is not which one operates your flight, but the airport you departed from:
Any flight departing an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, whether the British, Austrian or Swiss company operates it.
Flights arriving in the EU from outside it when operated by easyJet Europe, which is an EU airline — a London–Barcelona, for instance.
Connections on a single booking: what counts is the delay on arrival at your final destination.
Flights departing the UK with the British company: those fall under the UK’s own version of EU261, with amounts in pounds and escalation to the CAA rather than AESA.
Delays caused by extraordinary circumstances easyJet can prove, such as a storm or an air traffic control decision that affected your flight.
2How much easyJet pays for a delay
EU261 compensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
Barcelona–London, Madrid–Geneva, Palma–Milan
Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500–3,500 km
Barcelona–Athens, Madrid–Copenhagen, Málaga–Edinburgh
Over 3,500 km outside the EU
easyJet operates very few routes this long
The amounts are set by the Regulation and are the same for every airline. Distance is measured in a straight line to your final destination. If easyJet rerouted you and you arrived only slightly late, it can halve the compensation (Art. 7(2)).
Check how much I’m owed3How to claim from easyJet, step by step
- 1
Keep your documents
Booking with its reference, boarding pass and easyJet’s notices about the delay. Keep receipts for food or transport you paid for too.
- 2
Check the actual arrival time
What counts is when the aircraft door opened at your destination, not the landing time (CJEU, C-452/13). You can look it up on tracking services such as FlightAware.
- 3
File your claim on easyjet.com
There is a claim form in the help and customer service section. Give your booking reference, flight number and date, the hours of delay on arrival and the amount you’re claiming.
- 4
Give it a month
If it doesn’t reply or rejects the claim, you can complain free of charge to AESA when the flight departed Spain or arrived in Spain from outside the EU.
- 5
Escalate: AESA or the CAA, court or AviFly
You can pursue it with the relevant regulator, sue yourself (no lawyer up to €2,000) or let AviFly handle the claim with nothing to pay upfront.
4Common excuses and what the law says
To avoid paying, easyJet has to prove an extraordinary circumstance that affected your flight and that it couldn’t have avoided with reasonable measures.
"We are a British airline, the European Regulation doesn’t apply"
What counts is the departure airport: if your flight left the EU, EU261 applies to any airline. On top of that, easyJet Europe is an EU airline.
"It was due to extraordinary circumstances"
Ask in writing for the specific cause and its evidence (weather report, air traffic control notice). A generic phrase isn’t enough.
"There was a technical problem"
A fault from maintenance or normal use of the aircraft doesn’t exempt the airline (CJEU, Wallentin-Hermann C-549/07 and van der Lans C-257/14).
"There was a strike"
A strike by easyJet’s own staff is not an extraordinary circumstance (CJEU, C-28/20). One by controllers or airport staff can be, if it proves the strike affected your flight.
"The aircraft arrived late from its previous flight"
That only exempts the airline if the previous flight was hit by an extraordinary circumstance, there’s a direct link to your delay and easyJet took reasonable measures (CJEU, C-74/19).
5What to do if easyJet doesn’t reply or rejects your claim
A rejection doesn’t close the case. You have three options:
AESA (or the UK CAA)
A free online complaint if the flight departed Spain or arrived in Spain from outside the EU. For flights from 2 June 2023, its decision is binding on easyJet: if it doesn’t pay within a month, you can enforce it in court. It takes AESA 90 to 180 days to decide. If your flight departed the UK, the equivalent route is the CAA.
Going to court
No lawyer or court agent up to €2,000. In Spain the generally accepted time limit is 5 years from the flight (Art. 1964 of the Spanish Civil Code).
AviFly
We handle the claim, the negotiation and, if needed, the lawsuit. We only charge if you get your money: 15% + VAT out of court and 30% + VAT in court.
AviFly claims from easyJet for you
Nothing upfront. We only charge if you recover your compensation.
Claim from easyJetFrequently asked questions about claiming from easyJet
How long a delay before easyJet pays compensation?
From 3 hours’ delay on arrival at your final destination. Below that there’s no cash compensation, though you’re entitled to food and drink from 2 hours on flights up to 1,500 km.
Is easyJet still covered by EU261 after Brexit?
Yes on every flight departing the EU, because the Regulation applies by departure airport. If your flight departed the UK, the UK’s own version of the rules applies.
How long does easyJet take to reply?
There is no fixed legal deadline. If it hasn’t answered your claim within a month, you can go to AESA or to court.
Do I have to accept a voucher or points instead of money?
No. Compensation is paid in money; it can only be paid in vouchers if you agree in writing (Art. 7(3) of the Regulation).
Can I claim if I bought the flight through an agency or as part of a package?
Yes. Compensation is paid by the airline operating the flight — easyJet — even if you booked through an agency or as part of a package holiday (Art. 3(5) of the Regulation).
What if easyJet cancelled my flight?
On top of compensation, you can choose between a ticket refund within 7 days and an alternative flight. Our easyJet cancellation guide explains how.