London Heathrow Airport Flight Compensation: Your Complete Guide

Since Brexit, two parallel regulations govern flight compensation rights at Heathrow:

The key rule: If your flight departs from Heathrow, you are always protected — regardless of the airline. If arriving at Heathrow, you are only covered if the airline is based in the EU or UK.

Understanding why flights are disrupted at Heathrow is critical because not all delay causes exempt the airline from paying compensation.

1. Runway Congestion and Slot Restrictions

Heathrow operates at 98% runway capacity with only two runways serving all traffic. This creates a bottleneck effect where a small delay in one departure can cascade through the entire schedule.

Claim impact: Runway congestion is an operational issue — airlines are responsible for building buffer time into their schedules. Claims based on slot restrictions are frequently successful.

2. Fog and Adverse Weather

Heathrow experiences reduced visibility (fog, low cloud) primarily from November through February. During heavy fog events, the airport switches to Low Visibility Procedures (LVPs), which reduce landing rates from 45 to around 28 per hour.

Claim impact: Genuine fog delays are considered extraordinary circumstances. However, airlines often list "weather" as the cause when the actual delay was partly or fully operational. We investigate the METAR weather data for your specific departure time to verify whether fog was truly the cause.

3. Technical Faults and Aircraft Defects

Aircraft technical issues — from avionics failures to hydraulic leaks — account for a significant share of Heathrow delays. Under EU/UK261, technical problems are not extraordinary circumstances (confirmed by the Wallentin-Hermann ruling, C-549/07).

Claim impact: Technical fault delays almost always qualify for compensation. Airlines cannot use "safety checks" or "routine maintenance" as an excuse.

4. Inter-Terminal Transfer Delays

Heathrow's four terminals are spread across a large campus. Transfer passengers moving between Terminal 5 (British Airways hub) and Terminals 2–4 must use the Heathrow Express or bus services. Delays in these transfers can cause missed connections.

Claim impact: If your connection was missed due to insufficient transfer time scheduled by the airline, the carrier is liable for compensation. This is a single-booking, single-journey rule — both legs must be on one ticket.

Filing a claim is straightforward. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Gather Your Documentation

You will need:

• Booking confirmation or e-ticket with your booking reference (PNR)
• Boarding pass (digital or physical)
• Any written communication from the airline about the delay or cancellation
• Receipts for any expenses incurred (meals, transport, accommodation)
• A photo of the departure board showing your flight's delay (helpful but not required)

Step 2: Confirm Your Eligibility

Your flight qualifies if:

• It departed from Heathrow (any airline), or arrived at Heathrow on a UK/EU carrier
• The delay at your final destination was 3 hours or more
• The disruption was not caused by genuine extraordinary circumstances (severe weather, political instability, air traffic control strikes)
• The flight occurred within the last 6 years (UK statute of limitations)

Step 3: File Your Claim

You can file directly with the airline or use a claims service like Avioza. Here's how the two approaches compare:

Airlines frequently reject valid claims on first attempt, hoping passengers will give up. Our legal team knows exactly how to counter each rejection tactic and will escalate to the CAA or small claims court if necessary.

Step 4: Receive Your Compensation

Once the claim is approved, compensation is paid directly to your bank account. The process is entirely digital — no paperwork, no office visits, no phone calls.

Beyond financial compensation, you have immediate rights during the disruption itself. Airlines must provide:

• After 2 hours (short-haul) or 3 hours (medium/long-haul): Meals and refreshments
• If overnight delay: Hotel accommodation and transport to/from the hotel
• If flight is cancelled: Choice between full refund or rebooking on next available flight
• Communication: Two free phone calls, emails, or faxes

If the airline refuses to provide care, pay for essentials yourself and keep all receipts — you can claim these costs back separately.

In January 2024, a family of three was delayed 7 hours on a British Airways flight from Heathrow to Boston. BA cited "adverse weather conditions" as the cause. Our investigation found that while fog was present in the early morning, it had cleared 3 hours before their scheduled departure. The actual delay was caused by crew arriving late from a previous rotation.

Result: BA paid €1,800 (€600 × 3 passengers) after we presented the METAR weather data and crew scheduling evidence.

Don't let airlines keep money that rightfully belongs to you. Whether your Heathrow flight was delayed, cancelled, or you were denied boarding — check your eligibility in under 3 minutes.

Our team handles hundreds of Heathrow claims every month. We know the terminal operations, the common airline excuses, and the legal precedents that win cases.