UK261 Compensation: Passenger Rights After Brexit
After Brexit, the UK wrote EU261 into its own law — known as UK261. The rules are almost identical, but amounts are paid in pounds and enforcement goes through the UK CAA.
Which flights are covered?
UK261 covers every flight departing from a UK airport — on any airline — and flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU carrier.
A London–New York flight is covered on any airline; New York–London is covered only on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic or another UK/EU carrier.
Compensation amounts
Amounts are fixed in pounds: £220 for flights up to 1,500 km; £350 for 1,500–3,500 km; £520 for over 3,500 km.
The same triggers apply as EU261: arrival 3+ hours late, cancellation with less than 14 days' notice, or denied boarding.
Time limits and escalation
In the UK you have up to 6 years to file a claim (5 in Scotland) — one of the longest windows in the world.
If the airline rejects or ignores your claim, escalate to an approved ADR body (e.g. AviationADR) or the CAA. Many UK airlines are members of an ADR scheme, which is free for passengers.