AIRLINE · CANCELLED FLIGHT
RyanairCancellation compensation — are you owed money?
Compensation for a cancellation turns on two things: how much notice you were given, and what re-routing you were offered.
In May 2026, 0.2% of Ryanair departures from UK airports arrived 3 or more hours late — the UK261 compensation threshold — and 0% were cancelled, per official CAA data. That ranks Ryanair 4th of 24 tracked airlines for fewest compensation-relevant disruptions. See the full league table →
UK / EU airline · full rights
UK261 applies to every Ryanair flight to or from the UK. If you were delayed 3+ hours or cancelled and the airline was at fault, you can claim.
When Ryanair has to pay
UK261 · ARTICLE 5 · ARTICLE 7- ARTICLE 5(1)(C)(I)
No compensation is due if you were told at least two weeks before the scheduled departure time.
- ARTICLE 5(1)(C)(II)
If you were told between two weeks and seven days before departure, no compensation is due only if you were also offered re-routing that departed no more than 2 hours early and got you there less than 4 hours late.
- ARTICLE 5(1)(C)(III)
If you were told less than seven days before departure, no compensation is due only if you were also offered re-routing that departed no more than 1 hour early and got you there less than 2 hours late.
- ARTICLE 7(2)
Where re-routing gets you to your final destination within 2 hours (short-haul), 3 hours (medium-haul) or 4 hours (long-haul) of the original arrival time, the airline may pay half the fixed amount.
- ARTICLE 5(3)
No compensation is due if the airline shows the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
What you are owed besides the cash
- ARTICLE 8
A choice between a full refund within seven days, or re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity — the choice is yours, not the airline’s.
- ARTICLE 9
Food, drink, communications, and accommodation with transfers if you have to wait overnight.
Rules quoted from Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained in UK law. Article links go to the text on legislation.gov.uk so you can read them yourself. This is information, not legal advice — the airline decides on the facts of your specific flight.
Ryanair · performance
CAA DATA · MAY 2026- 3+ hours late
- 0.2%The compensation threshold — these flights may be owed.
- Cancelled
- 0%of scheduled flights
- Average delay
- 13minacross all flights
- Routes flown
- 581in May 2026 CAA data · 22 with delay stats here
Delay statistics derived from UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) punctuality data. UK CAA flight punctuality statistics · May 2026. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the CAA. How we calculate these figures →
Ryanair · month by month
5 MONTHS OF CAA DATA · UK DEPARTURES| Month | Flights | 3h+ late | Cancelled | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 11,479 | 0.7% | 0.1% | 14 min |
| February 2026 | 11,634 | 0.3% | 0.0% | 12 min |
| March 2026 | 13,687 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 10 min |
| April 2026 | 16,456 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 10 min |
| May 2026(latest) | 17,034 | 0.2% | 0.0% | 13 min |
Aggregated across every route Ryanair flew from UK reporting airports that month — see how these figures are calculated.
How to claim from Ryanair
Gather your details
Flight number, date, and scheduled vs actual arrival times. You don't need these to check with Owedly — only to claim from Ryanair.
Submit to Ryanair
Send a written claim citing UK261, stating the delay length and that you’re seeking the fixed compensation for your distance band.
Escalate if needed
No adequate response within 8 weeks? Take it to the airline’s ADR scheme or the Civil Aviation Authority.
How much UK261 pays
| Band | Distance | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Under 1,500 kme.g. London–Paris, Manchester–Dublin | £220 |
| B | 1,500–3,500 kme.g. London–Athens, Edinburgh–Lisbon | £350 |
| C | Over 3,500 kme.g. London–New York · £260 if 3–4h late, £520 if 4h+ | £260–£520 |
The amount depends only on distance — not your ticket price or the airline. Ryanair’s average delay is 13 minutes, but averages hide the flights that cross the 3-hour line.
Notice and re-routing decide this one. The figure above assumes you were given short notice and were not offered suitable re-routing — check the two conditions above against what actually happened.
Check your Ryanair cancelled flight
Check · Ryanair cancelled flight
6 FIELDSIt depends
It depends — you may be owed ~£350 if it was the airline’s fault
- Your flight is covered by UK261 and the cancellation is long enough to qualify — but whether you’re actually owed money depends on the cause.
- If the cancellation was the airline’s fault (for example a technical or crew problem), you could be owed around £350. If it was caused by extraordinary circumstances like extreme weather or an air-traffic-control strike, no compensation would be due.
- Ask the airline for the specific reason in writing, then check your claim.
For cancellations, the amount can be reduced by 50% — or removed — depending on how much notice you were given and whether you were offered a suitable re-routing. Check the exact rules with the CAA before assuming this figure.
You usually have up to 6 years to claim in England, Wales & Northern Ireland (5 years in Scotland). This is for information — it does not affect the estimate above.
Partner hand-off (AirHelp). Claim services typically charge a success fee — you can also claim directly with the airline for free.
ESTIMATE ONLY · NOT LEGAL ADVICE · OFFICIAL CAA GUIDANCE
Think you’re owed for a Ryanair flight?
Run the six-question check and, if you’re eligible, hand off to a claims partner.
Partner hand-off (AirHelp). Claim services typically charge a success fee — you can also claim directly with the airline for free.
Ryanair routes with delay stats
All routes →SHOWING 22 OF THE 581 ROUTES RYANAIR FLEW IN MAY 2026 CAA DATA
- BFS → STNBelfast International → London Stansted3h+ 0.6%CNCL 0%up to £220
- BFS → MANBelfast International → Manchester3h+ 1.1%CNCL 0.6%up to £220
- BHX → DUBBirmingham → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0.3%up to £220
- BHX → PMIBirmingham → Palma de Mallorca3h+ 0.6%CNCL 0%up to £220
- BRS → DUBBristol → Dublin3h+ 0.5%CNCL 0%up to £220
- BRS → PMIBristol → Palma de Mallorca3h+ 0.9%CNCL 0%up to £220
- EDI → DUBEdinburgh → Dublin3h+ 0.5%CNCL 0%up to £220
- EDI → STNEdinburgh → London Stansted3h+ 1.1%CNCL 0%up to £220
- GLA → DUBGlasgow → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- LBA → DUBLeeds Bradford → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0.6%up to £220
- LPL → DUBLiverpool → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- LGW → DUBLondon Gatwick → Dublin3h+ 0.4%CNCL 0%up to £220
- LTN → BCNLondon Luton → Barcelona3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- STN → BFSLondon Stansted → Belfast International3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- STN → DUBLondon Stansted → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- STN → EDILondon Stansted → Edinburgh3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- MAN → ALCManchester → Alicante3h+ 0.4%CNCL 0%up to £350
- MAN → BCNManchester → Barcelona3h+ 0.5%CNCL 0%up to £220
- MAN → BFSManchester → Belfast International3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £220
- MAN → DUBManchester → Dublin3h+ 0%CNCL 0.2%up to £220
- MAN → AGPManchester → Malaga3h+ 0%CNCL 0%up to £350
- MAN → PMIManchester → Palma de Mallorca3h+ 0.8%CNCL 0%up to £350
Ryanair — your questions
Can I claim compensation for a Ryanair cancelled flight?
Compensation for a cancellation turns on two things: how much notice you were given, and what re-routing you were offered. Ryanair is a UK or EU/EEA carrier, so UK261 covers its flights both to and from the UK.
What if the airline gave me two weeks’ notice or more?
No compensation is due if you were told at least two weeks before the scheduled departure time. (Article 5(1)(c)(i) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained in UK law.)
What if I was told between two weeks and seven days before?
If you were told between two weeks and seven days before departure, no compensation is due only if you were also offered re-routing that departed no more than 2 hours early and got you there less than 4 hours late. (Article 5(1)(c)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained in UK law.)
What if I was told less than a week before?
If you were told less than seven days before departure, no compensation is due only if you were also offered re-routing that departed no more than 1 hour early and got you there less than 2 hours late. (Article 5(1)(c)(iii) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained in UK law.)
How much is Ryanair cancelled flight compensation worth?
The amount is fixed by distance, not by ticket price or airline: £220 for flights of 1,500 km or less, £350 for 1,500–3,500 km, and £520 for flights over 3,500 km. It is paid per passenger.
Other airlines
Delay statistics derived from UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) punctuality data. UK CAA flight punctuality statistics · May 2026. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the CAA. How we calculate these figures →
UK261 amounts & eligibility rules last verified 8 July 2026 against gov.uk and CAA guidance by Mohammed Arafat Khot · about this site