UK Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK261), as applied in the Sturgeon judgment
Complain to easyJet about a flight delayed by 3 hours or more
Three hours late at the destination is the magic number. Below that, it’s just a delay. At or above, the regulation puts a fixed sum in your account.
The law on your side
UK Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK261), as applied in the Sturgeon judgment
UK261, Articles 6, 7 & 9
- The 3-hour clock runs to the arrival time at the final destination, not the scheduled departure delay.
- Compensation is owed unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures.
- Routine technical faults, crew shortages and IT failures generally do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances.
- You can also claim reasonable meal and refreshment costs incurred during the delay under Article 9.
What you are owed
| Situation | Remedy |
|---|---|
| Short flights up to 1,500 km | £220 |
| Medium 1,500-3,500 km | £350 |
| Long over 3,500 km, delay 3-4 hours | £260 (50% reduction) |
| Long over 3,500 km, delay 4+ hours | £520 |
Source: UK261, Articles 6, 7 & 9. Figures are the published statutory amounts at the time of writing.
Copy-paste letter template
Replace anything in [SQUARE_BRACKETS] with your details. Keep the tone factual - the citations do the heavy lifting.
Dear easyJet Customer Relations, I am writing about flight [FLIGHT_NUMBER] from [DEPARTURE] to [ARRIVAL] on [DATE], booking reference [BOOKING_REF]. The flight arrived at the final destination [DELAY_HOURS] hours after the scheduled arrival time. Under UK Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 7 (as applied to long delays in the Sturgeon judgment, retained in UK law), passengers arriving 3 or more hours late are entitled to fixed compensation, unless the carrier can prove the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Based on the flight distance of [DISTANCE_KM] km, the applicable compensation amount is £[AMOUNT]. I require: 1. Fixed compensation of £[AMOUNT] under Article 7. 2. Reimbursement of meals and refreshments incurred during the delay (receipts attached), per Article 9. If the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances, please provide written evidence of the cause and the reasonable measures the airline took to avoid it. Please respond within 14 days. If unresolved within 8 weeks, I will refer the complaint to [ADR_SCHEME] and may then issue a claim through Money Claim Online. Claims under UK261 may be brought up to 6 years after the event in England and Wales. Yours faithfully, [FULL_NAME] [ADDRESS] [EMAIL] [PHONE]
If they ignore the first letter
- 1
Write to the airline
Cite UK261 Article 7 and the 3-hour Sturgeon principle. Include arrival time at the gate, not departure time.
8 weeks from your first complaint
- 2
Wait the 8-week window
If unresolved, escalate to the airline’s ADR scheme after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter.
8 weeks
- 3
Refer to ADR (CEDR or AviationADR)
Free to consumers, binding on the airline.
- 4
Money Claim Online
For up to £10,000. UK261 claims can be brought up to 6 years after the event in England and Wales.
Final stop: CEDR or AviationADR (the airline’s approved ADR scheme).
Quick answers
Is the 3 hours measured at takeoff or landing?
At landing - specifically when the aircraft doors are opened at the final destination. A flight that left 4 hours late but caught up in the air to land 2 hours and 30 minutes late owes nothing under Article 7.
What if my connecting flight was the one delayed?
If both flights were a single booking on the same airline, the delay at your final destination is what counts. Compensation can be claimed under UK261 even if the delay was on the second leg.
What proof do I need?
Boarding pass, booking confirmation and confirmation of the actual arrival time (a screenshot of FlightAware or the airline’s own status page is normally enough).
How far back can I claim?
Up to 6 years in England and Wales, 5 years in Scotland.
What is the easyJet complaints email address?
easyJet does not take complaints by email. The address it advertises for customer service, customerservices@easyjet.com, bounced a complaint we sent in September 2026, so mail to it is rejected rather than read. Use the complaints and claims form on easyjet.com instead: it asks for the flight details up front, which is what easyJet matches to your booking. Screenshot the confirmation and note the date you submitted it, because the clock for escalating starts then and the form does not email you a copy.
What if easyJet does not reply, or says no?
Airlines have eight weeks to give a final answer. After that, or after a final response you disagree with, a flight delay, cancellation or denied boarding complaint can go to the alternative dispute resolution scheme easyJet is signed up to, which is free to you. The Civil Aviation Authority lists which scheme covers each airline.
How do I complain to easyJet?
We haven't found a complaints email address that easyJet publishes itself, so start from the complaints route on easyJet's own site: https://www.easyjet.com/en/help-centre/contact/contact-us-form. Put "Formal complaint" at the top, with your account or order number, what went wrong, and the outcome you want. Keep a copy of what you send, or a note of the call with the date, so you have a paper trail. If easyJet hasn't sorted it within 8 weeks, you can escalate free to AviationADR.
Which ombudsman handles easyJet complaints?
easyJet complaints can be escalated to AviationADR, free of charge, after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter. Complain to easyJet directly first: the ombudsman only takes your case once the company has had a chance to fix it, and its decision is binding on easyJet.
Stop typing. Start sending.
Generate a personalised letter for your easyJet case in minutes, with the right statute already cited.
Build my easyJet complaintDisclaimer: NoReply is an independent consumer advocacy platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to easyJet. This page summarises UK Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK261), as applied in the Sturgeon judgment (UK261, Articles 6, 7 & 9) for general guidance and is not legal advice. Always check the current statutory text before acting.