ANSWER · UK 261
Which flights does UK 261 cover?
The retained version of Regulation 261/2004 applies to departures from any UK airport whatever the airline, and to arrivals into the UK where the operating carrier is a UK or EU carrier. SI 2019/278 substituted sterling amounts of £220, £350 or £520 for the euro figures. The thresholds, the £520 top band conditions and the defences are otherwise unchanged.
REVIEWED AGAINST RULE SET V6 AND THE CITED PRIMARY SOURCES · UPDATED 7 AUGUST 2026
Coverage
| ROUTE | OPERATING CARRIER | REGIME |
|---|---|---|
| Departing a UK airport | Any airline | UK 261 |
| Third country into the UK | UK or EU carrier | UK 261 |
| Third country into the UK | Other carrier | Neither |
| EU departure into the UK | Any airline | EC 261 |
What changed and what did not
| DISTANCE BAND | EC 261 | UK 261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 |
Claims that straddle the transition
Lipton, decided by the UK Supreme Court in July 2024, held that causes of action which accrued before the end of the transition period survive as retained EU law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and that pre exit CJEU case law continues to apply to them.
The same judgment held that a captain's absence through illness is not an extraordinary circumstance, which makes it the leading UK authority on crew sickness.
THE JUDGMENTS BEHIND THIS ANSWER
SOURCES
- The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/278), reg. 8 · legislation.gov.uk · checked 7 August 2026
- Lipton and another v BA Cityflyer Ltd [2024] UKSC 24, judgment of 10 July 2024 · The National Archives (Find Case Law) · checked 7 August 2026
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 3(1) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
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