Flight delay compensation is a fixed payment a carrier owes a passenger when a covered flight arrives at the final destination beyond a defined delay threshold and the delay is within the airline’s control.
The most common trigger is the Sturgeon ruling under EU261: an arrival delay of 3 hours or more entitles the passenger to the same fixed sums (roughly EUR 250 to EUR 600) as a cancellation. Similar frameworks apply in the UK, Canada, Brazil, and Israel. The delay clock runs against the arrival time at the final destination, not the departure. Support desks need the actual flight-status data (block-in time), not the schedule, to compute eligibility correctly. Verify against primary source at build time.
Extraordinary circumstances (severe weather, ATC action, security) exclude the carrier from paying compensation, but not from the duty of care (meals, accommodation, communication) which still applies.
Common questions
Does the delay clock start at departure or arrival?
Arrival at the final destination. A 2-hour departure delay that lands on time is not compensable under EU261; a 3-hour late arrival is.
Do I get compensation if my delay is due to weather?
Usually no. Weather is an extraordinary circumstance and excludes the carrier from cash compensation, but duty-of-care obligations (meals, accommodation) still apply. Verify against primary source at build time.