How to escalate a flight complaint with aviation ADR
Airlines reject valid UK261 compensation claims hoping you'll give up - 'extraordinary circumstances' is their favourite phrase. There's no single airline ombudsman, but approved ADR schemes (AviationADR and CEDR) do the same job: free or near-free, independent, and binding on member airlines. Here's the route.
Last reviewed: by NoReply Editorial
First: the CAA won’t handle your complaint
The most common dead end. the CAA regulates the industry and can fine companies for systemic failures, but it doesn’t resolve individual disputes. Your route is the aviation ADR scheme - a free, independent service whose decisions are binding on the company. You can still report the company to the CAA to flag a pattern; just don’t wait for them to fix your case.
How to escalate, step by step
- 1
Claim from the airline in writing first
Cite UK261: £220-£520 per passenger for delays over 3 hours, cancellations under 14 days' notice, and denied boarding - plus meals, calls and hotel costs for long delays. Include booking reference, flight number, and the actual arrival delay.
- 2
Don't accept 'extraordinary circumstances' at face value
Crew shortages, most technical faults, and airline scheduling choices are NOT extraordinary. Genuine exemptions are things like extreme weather, ATC strikes and security incidents - and the airline has to prove it.
- 3
Wait 8 weeks (or get a final response)
If the airline rejects the claim or ignores you for 8 weeks, you can escalate. Keep boarding passes, delay notifications and receipts - screenshots of the departure board genuinely help.
- 4
Find the airline's ADR scheme
Ryanair, British Airways, easyJet and most large carriers belong to AviationADR or CEDR - free (CEDR charges £25 only if you lose). If the airline isn't an ADR member, complain to the CAA's PACT service instead - it reviews your case, though its findings aren't binding.
- 5
Submit, and small claims as the backstop
ADR decisions bind member airlines. If ADR fails or the airline isn't a member, small claims court handles UK261 well - it's designed for individuals, and airlines frequently settle before the hearing.
When you can escalate
8 weeks
after complaining, or sooner with a deadlock letter
Maximum award
£520 per passenger + expenses
binding on the company, free for you
Official scheme: CAA: approved ADR schemes
Common questions
Is there an ombudsman for airlines in the UK?
Not a single statutory one. Instead, most airlines belong to a CAA-approved ADR scheme - AviationADR or CEDR - which does the same job: independent, binding on the airline, and free or near-free. If an airline isn't an ADR member, the CAA's PACT service reviews complaints, though its findings aren't binding.
How much flight delay compensation am I owed?
Under UK261: £220 for flights up to 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500-3,500 km, and £520 for longer flights - per passenger - when you arrive 3+ hours late for reasons within the airline's control. Cancellations under 14 days' notice and denied boarding qualify too, and you can claim for flights up to 6 years back.
The airline says 'extraordinary circumstances' - is that final?
No. It's the most overused rejection in aviation. Crew sickness, most technical faults and knock-on scheduling delays don't qualify - tribunals and ADR schemes have said so repeatedly. Make the airline evidence the claim, then escalate.
Which ADR scheme does my airline use?
Ryanair and many others use AviationADR; British Airways and easyJet use CEDR. The airline must name its scheme in its final response or on its website. Not a member of either? Use the CAA's PACT service or small claims court.
Skip the blank page
NoReply drafts the formal complaint that starts the 8 weeks clock - citing the right law, addressed to the right team.