EU Regulation 261/2004 gives compensation for long delays, cancellations, and denied boarding on flights departing an EU airport on any airline, and on flights arriving in the EU from outside on an EU airline. So an Indian carrier flying Europe to India is covered, but the same Indian carrier flying India to Europe generally is not. Compensation runs from EUR 250 to EUR 600 by distance, and the UK runs its own equivalent, UK261, paid in pounds. Claim directly with the airline.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
If you have ever sat at a European airport watching your flight’s status slide from delayed to cancelled, EU261 is the rule that decides whether you are owed anything for it. It is worth understanding before you fly, not after.
Does EU261 cover your flight from India to Europe?
This is the part most Indian travellers get wrong, and it cuts both ways. According to the European Union’s own passenger rights guidance, EU261 applies if your flight departs from an airport in the EU, regardless of which airline operates it, or if your flight arrives in the EU from a non-EU country and is operated by an EU airline. It does not apply when a non-EU airline, including an Indian carrier, operates a flight departing from a non-EU country into the EU.
In practice: a flight from Delhi to Frankfurt operated by an Indian carrier generally falls outside EU261, because it departs outside the EU and is not operated by an EU carrier. A flight from Frankfurt back to Delhi on that same Indian carrier generally is covered, because it departs from an airport inside the EU, and EU261 applies to departures from the EU regardless of the operating airline.
How much compensation can you actually get?
Under EU261, compensation for a long delay at arrival, a cancellation, or denied boarding is banded by flight distance: EUR 250 for flights of 1,500 km or less, EUR 400 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km and for all other flights in that distance range, and EUR 600 for flights of more than 3,500 km, according to the European Commission’s published tables. For some longer flights there is also a reduced EUR 300 tier when the delay at arrival is at least three hours but under four hours, with the full EUR 600 applying once the delay reaches four hours or more.
These figures are fixed in the regulation and do not depend on how much you paid for your ticket, which means they can apply just as fully to a budget fare as to a full-service one.
What delay counts, and what does not?
The compensation right is generally triggered once you arrive at your final destination three hours or more later than scheduled, not simply once your departure is delayed. Short delays, delays you are informed of well in advance, and delays caused by what the regulation calls extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, or security incidents outside the airline’s control, typically do not qualify for compensation, although the airline still generally owes you care such as meals, a hotel if needed overnight, and rebooking.
How is the UK different after Brexit?
The United Kingdom retained its own version of the rule after leaving the EU, generally referred to as UK261, enforced by the UK Civil Aviation Authority and paid in pounds rather than euros. According to the CAA’s own published guidance, UK261 compensation follows a similar distance-based structure: £220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and either £260 or £520 for flights over 3,500 km depending on how long the delay at arrival runs. A flight between the UK and India sits under UK261 rather than EU261, with the same departure-and-operator logic as the EU version: it generally applies to flights departing a UK airport on any airline.
How do you actually claim?
Claim directly with the airline that operated your flight, through its own customer service or complaints channel, quoting your booking reference and flight details. Keep your boarding pass, booking confirmation, and any written notice of the delay or cancellation, since the airline will ask for evidence of the scheduled and actual times. The time limit for bringing a claim varies by country, so check the specific rules of the country where you are filing rather than assuming a single deadline applies everywhere.
Common Questions
My flight was India to Europe on an Indian airline and delayed six hours. Am I covered?
Generally no, under EU261, because the flight departed outside the EU and was not operated by an EU airline. Check whether the airline offers its own goodwill policy for long delays, since that is separate from the regulation.
My flight was Europe to India on an Indian airline and cancelled. Am I covered?
Generally yes, because EU261 applies to flights departing an EU airport regardless of which airline operates them, subject to the usual extraordinary circumstances exemption.
Does a layover inside Europe change anything?
If your itinerary is one connected booking, only the individual flight segments that depart the EU or are operated by an EU airline are weighed for the EU261 right, according to EU guidance, so check each leg of your journey separately.
What counts as an extraordinary circumstance that blocks compensation?
Things generally outside the airline’s control, such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, strikes outside the airline itself, or security threats. A technical fault that is part of normal aircraft maintenance generally does not count as extraordinary.
If I already accepted a refund, can I still claim compensation?
A refund for an unused ticket and compensation for a long delay or cancellation are generally treated as separate rights, but the details can depend on your specific circumstances, so raise it directly with the airline and ask them to clarify against your case.
How long do I have to file a claim?
This varies by country and is governed by each country’s own national time limit rules, so check the specific deadline that applies where you are filing rather than assuming it is the same everywhere.
Planning a Europe trip and want to avoid delay headaches in the first place? Search and compare flights on HappyFares, with price alerts and our price-match guarantee so you book with confidence.
Compensation rules and amounts can change and depend on your exact circumstances. Verify the current rule with the operating airline, the European Commission, or the UK Civil Aviation Authority before you file a claim.
