UK Flight Compensation for Babies and Children

Travelling with babies and children can be tough, and flight delays or cancellations can make it even harder. Fortunately, the UK has regulations to protect air passengers’ rights, including those of your youngest family members. Knowing these laws can help you get the flight cancellation or flight delay compensation your family deserves. This article will give you clear information on UK flight compensation for babies and children.

Keep reading to understand your family’s rights.

1. UK Flight Compensation for Babies and Children

How much is UK flight compensation for babies and children?

Babies and children are entitled to UK flight compensation just like their parents. Under Regulation UK 261 all passengers can claim the same amount.

Flight compensation amounts are £220, £350, or £520, depending on the flight distance. The passenger’s age does not affect the flight compensation amount.

Travel insurance is not required to claim UK flight compensation. The key factor is that the airline is responsible for the disruption if it happens due to the airline’s fault, which can include technical issues and airline staff strikes.

Here are the UK flight compensation types:

• For delayed flights, you may receive UK flight delay compensation.
• If your flight is cancelled at the last minute, you may qualify for UK flight cancellation compensation.
• In cases of overbooking resulting in denied boarding, you are entitled to UK denied boarding compensation.

For flights with a UK airline, these regulations apply to all flights to and from the UK. You are protected on UK flights.

For flights with an EU airline, these regulations apply to all flights to and from the EU. Just to remind you, your protection extends to flights with both UK and EU airlines. The UK flight compensation regulation aligns with the EU regulation, making them nearly identical.

For flights with non-UK and non-EU airlines, the regulations apply only to flights departing from the UK or the EU.

If you and your family are required to wait at the airport due to delay, cancellation, or overbooking, you are entitled to a right to care from the airline.

Learn more about UK and EU flight compensation rules:

• Regulation EC261 vs UK261
• Countries Where Regulation UK261 Works
• You Are Flying With a Non-EU, Non-UK Airline: Which Laws Protect You as a Passenger?

Infants and children are eligible for UK flight compensation just like adults, with amounts varying from £220 to £520 based on the flight distance, not the child’s age.

1.1 UK Flight Delay Compensation – Infant Without a Seat

When flying with an infant on lap, they are entitled to compensation, even without a separate seat. Babies held on laps receive the same compensation as you.

Under UK regulations, every passenger is safeguarded.

This also applies to flight cancellation compensation and flight overbooking compensation.

Read more: Who Is Eligible for UK Flight Compensation?

2. UK Flight Compensation for Babies and Children: The Amount Is Equivalent to That for Adults

UK flight compensation for babies and children is the same as for adults.

UK flight compensation amounts are £220, £350, or £520, depending on the flight distance.

The compensation amount is per person. If you are a family of four, each family member is eligible for compensation.

When your destination is within the UK / EU:

When your destination is outside the UK / EU:

There is one exception. If the distance of your flight is greater than 3,500 kilometres, and you reach your destination with a delay between 3 to 4 hours, you will be receiving £260 not £520 (50% of the compensation). If the delay is longer than 4 hours, you will get full compensation of £520.

3. How to Get UK Flight Compensation for a Baby?

If you’re claiming UK compensation for a baby or child, the process is identical to claiming for an adult. When travelling with family, one person can file a claim on behalf of the entire family.

To secure flight compensation, you have two options: contact the airline directly or use a flight compensation company, the latter being the simpler choice.

When contacting the airline directly, ensure you have all necessary documentation at hand. This includes flight details, booking confirmations, and any relevant evidence of the delay (such as photos of departure and arrival boards showing the delay, or screenshots from the airline’s app). Be ready to provide a clear explanation of the incident and why you believe compensation is warranted. Note that airlines may attempt to deny compensation or offer a lower amount than you deserve, so persistence and knowledge of your rights are crucial.

On the other hand, using a flight compensation company can save you time and effort, as they will handle all communications with the airline on your behalf. We recommend claiming compensation through a flight compensation company.

When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:

And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.

* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.

Read more: Why Seek Legal Representation to Claim UK Flight Compensation?

Do you have questions about UK flight compensation for babies and children or your family’s air passenger rights? Feel free to ask in the comments.

Featured photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels