ANSWER · UK 261 AND EC 261
Is compensation paid per passenger or per booking?
Per passenger. Art. 7(1) awards €250, €400 or €600 to each passenger in the affected distance band, and UK 261 mirrors that at £220, £350 or £520, so a family of four on one booking holds four separate claims. The exception runs through Art. 3(3): passengers travelling free of charge are outside the regulation, which can include an infant carried without a paid seat.
REVIEWED AGAINST RULE SET V6 AND THE CITED PRIMARY SOURCES · UPDATED 7 AUGUST 2026
Why each seat is its own claim
The regulation's rights attach to passengers individually: each person on the reservation suffered the same lost time, so each receives the fixed sum. The fare paid per seat is irrelevant, and a child with a paid seat claims the same amount as an adult.
Who in a booking might fall outside
Art. 3(3) excludes passengers travelling free of charge. An infant flying free on a parent's lap can fall in that category, while an infant with a purchased seat or a charged infant fare is covered on ordinary principles.
SOURCES
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 7(1) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 3(3) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
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