There are two laws protecting air passenger rights in the UK and EU.
One is Regulation EC261/2004, and the other — Regulation UK261. While both of them are almost identical, the UK Government wrote Regulation 261 into UK law after the Brexit, there are some small differences. The biggest one is that now you have to know which one law to refer to when making a claim for flight compensation.
EC261/2004 and UK261: Countries
Here are all the possible scenarios.
In some cases you can refer to any of the two laws when making a compensation claim against the airline, in others — only to one. Take into account that if it’s a connecting flight, your final destination is your “real destination”.
You’re flying with a UK airline:
Regulation UK261 | Regulation EC261/2004 | |
| EU – EU | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU – UK | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU – Third Country | ✓ | ✓ |
| UK – EU | ✓ | – |
| UK – UK | ✓ | – |
| UK – Third Country | ✓ | – |
| Third Country – EU | ✓ | – |
| Third Country – UK | ✓ | – |
You’re flying with a EU airline:
Regulation UK261 | Regulation EC261/2004 | |
| EU – EU | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU – UK | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU – Third Country | ✓ | ✓ |
| UK – EU | ✓ | – |
| UK – UK | ✓ | – |
| UK – Third Country | ✓ | – |
| Third Country – EU | ✓ | – |
| Third Country – UK | ✓ | – |
You’re flying with other airlines (non-EU, non-UK):
| Regulation UK261 | Regulation EC261/2004 | |
| EU – EU | – | ✓ |
| EU – UK | – | ✓ |
| EU – Third Country | – | ✓ |
| UK – EU | ✓ | – |
| UK – UK | ✓ | – |
| UK – Third Country | ✓ | – |
Read more:
- You Are Flying With a UK Airline: Which Laws Protect You as a Passenger?
- You Are Flying With a EU Airline: Which Laws Protect You as a Passenger?
- You Are Flying With a Non-EU, Non-UK Airline: Which Laws Protect You?
Featured photo by Austin Zhang from Pexels