ANSWER · UK 261 AND EC 261
Is compensation due if the airline cancelled more than 14 days ahead?
No. Art. 5(1)(c)(i) removes the compensation right where the passenger was told of the cancellation at least 14 days before the scheduled departure. The refund or re-routing choice under Art. 8 survives regardless of notice, so a cancellation announced two months out still carries a full refund of the unused ticket.
REVIEWED AGAINST RULE SET V5 AND THE CITED PRIMARY SOURCES · UPDATED 7 AUGUST 2026
The three notice windows in Art. 5(1)(c)
| NOTICE GIVEN | COMPENSATION | CONDITION |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days or more before departure | Not due | No further condition |
| Between 14 days and seven days before | Not due | Only if re-routed to depart no more than two hours early and arrive less than four hours late |
| Less than seven days before | Not due | Only if re-routed to depart no more than one hour early and arrive less than two hours late |
Why the middle rows matter more than the first
Most cancellations inside two weeks come with a re-routing offer, and airlines often treat the offer itself as the end of the claim. It is not. The offer only removes compensation if it lands inside the timing window for that notice period.
A cancellation announced five days out, with a replacement arriving three hours late, falls outside the third window, so the Art. 7 sum remains in play subject to the cause.
Who has to prove the notice
Art. 5(4) puts the burden of proving whether and when the passenger was informed on the operating air carrier. A claim is not defeated by the airline asserting an email was sent.
SOURCES
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 5(1)(c) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 5(4) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
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