Millions of British holidaymakers could be entitled to significant compensation payouts after experiencing severe delays and cancellations at airports, yet many are missing out due to airlines wrongly rejecting their claims. New data reveals that nearly £11 million was paid to travellers in the year to October 2025 after airlines initially refused to settle claims or failed to respond before cases were escalated to independent adjudicators.
Clear Rules for Passenger Rights
Under UK and EU passenger rights regulations, holidaymakers are entitled to a full refund if their flight is cancelled or delayed by more than five hours. Additionally, travellers can claim compensation if their flight arrives more than three hours late, with payouts typically ranging from £220 to over £500 per passenger, depending on the distance of the flight and the length of the delay.
Airlines Accused of Confusing Customers
The new figures suggest that many airlines are routinely attempting to avoid paying compensation by blaming factors such as bad weather, technical faults, or "extraordinary circumstances." Customers have reported that airlines deliberately confuse them with complex information and aviation jargon to discourage claims.
Laurie Watson, a passenger who had his claim rejected by British Airways, told the BBC: "They send such a bewildering amount of information through that a lay person couldn't understand it. They're trying to confuse you, I think, and make you drop the claim. It was lots of aviation speak and that made me more determined to follow it through." An independent judgement later found no persuasive evidence to support BA's weather-related defence.
Breakdown of Major Payouts
The vast majority of the £11 million in compensation came from a few major airlines:
- British Airways paid £6.9 million after 10,679 complaints were lodged, with 81% upheld in favour of passengers.
- Wizz Air paid £1.7 million in compensation.
- Ryanair shelled out £1.68 million.
- easyJet paid £371,000.
These figures were compiled by dispute resolution bodies Consumer Dispute Resolution Limited and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, which intervene when airlines and passengers cannot resolve claims directly.
Consumer Experts Warn of Widespread Issues
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed concern over the pattern of airlines dodging valid compensation claims. "It is concerning, but not entirely surprising, to see that some airlines have attempted to dodge millions of pounds worth of valid compensation claims," he said. "This reflects a long-running pattern of airlines shrugging off the legal rights of consumers when the rules are clear."
Consumer groups accuse airlines of complicating the claims process to deter passengers, leading thousands to simply give up. This means airlines may be avoiding paying out millions more in compensation each year.
Escalating Complaints and Future Concerns
The findings come after another year of travel chaos marked by staff shortages, air traffic control problems, and last-minute cancellations, which have left families stranded and facing extra costs. Campaigners warn that the problem is likely to grow as travel demand increases post-pandemic.
Passengers affected by delays or cancellations are urged to contact their airline directly, providing copies of tickets, booking confirmations, and receipts for any additional expenses. If claims are rejected or ignored, travellers can escalate complaints to the Civil Aviation Authority or an independent dispute resolution service.
A British Airways spokesperson stated: "We operate more than 700 flights every day, with the vast majority running without issue. Most delays and cancellations occur due to circumstances beyond our control, such as poor weather or air traffic control restrictions. When issues occur, we always do our best to make things right. Where customers submit claims that meet legislative requirements, our teams work hard to process them quickly."
