Short haul
€250 per person
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) enforces these rules in Ireland. The rules cover every flight leaving an EU or EEA airport, whatever airline you fly with.
Quick facts
- Short haul
- €250 per person
- Medium haul
- €400 per person
- Long haul
- €600 per person
- When
- Arriving 3 hours or more late, or some cancellations
- Complain to
- The airline, then the IAA for flights leaving Ireland
Who is covered
The rules cover all passengers departing from airports within the EU and EEA. They also cover flights into the EU on an EU-licensed airline.
They do not apply if you travelled free, or on a reduced fare not available to the general public.
How much you can get
You may be entitled to compensation if you arrive 3 hours or more after your scheduled arrival time. The amount depends on the distance: €250 for short haul, €400 for medium haul and €600 for long haul.
On long-haul flights from outside the EU, the €600 may be reduced by 50% if you arrive less than 4 hours late.
If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you a refund or a new flight. You may also be owed compensation. You are not entitled to it if you got at least 2 weeks' notice, or if you were offered a new flight close to the original times.
Meals, hotels and refunds while you wait
The airline must look after you once the delay passes a set time. That is more than 2 hours for short haul, 3 hours for medium haul and 4 hours for long haul.
Care means meals and refreshments, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight, with transport to it. If the airline does not provide this, keep all your receipts. You are entitled to get these costs back.
If your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours and you decide not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund.
How to claim
Claim from the airline first
Raise the cancellation or delay with your airline first, in writing, with your booking details.
Keep every receipt
If you paid for your own meals or hotel, your receipts let you claim the money back.
Find the right enforcement body
If the airline does not sort it, go to the body in the country the disrupted flight was due to leave from.
Flight from Ireland? Complain to the IAA
Register on the IAA's online customer platform (MySRS), then complete the online complaint form.
Or take a small claim
You can also bring a claim against the airline in the Small Claims Court.
Things to watch
No compensation is payable if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided. Examples include weather, air traffic control restrictions, security risks and some industrial disputes.
A schedule change made by the airline is not the same as a cancellation. There is no right to compensation for schedule changes.
On a return trip, the right body depends on where each flight left from. A cancelled Dublin to Malaga flight goes to the IAA, but the Malaga to Dublin flight goes to Spain's body.
Phone, forms and how long it takes
- Irish Aviation Authority
- +353 1 603 1100
- Irish Aviation Authority
- info@iaa.ie
- Complain to the IAA (flights from Ireland), on MySRS
- IAA MySRS portal
- If the airline does not resolve it
- Forward the complaint to the appropriate national enforcement body.
- Or go to court
- You can bring a claim against the airline in the Small Claims Court.
From the official pages (citizensinformation.ie, iaa.ie), re-checked every night. Numbers and times can change, so check the official page before you send anything.
Common questions
How much is flight delay compensation in Ireland?
It is €250 per person for short haul, €400 for medium haul and €600 for long haul. It applies if you arrive 3 hours or more late and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances.
How long does a flight have to be delayed for compensation?
You may be entitled to compensation if you arrive at your destination 3 hours or more after your scheduled arrival time.
Who do I complain to about a delayed Ryanair or Aer Lingus flight?
Complain to the airline first. If it does not resolve it and the flight left from Ireland, complain to the Irish Aviation Authority through its MySRS portal.
Do I get compensation if my flight is cancelled?
You may, unless you got at least 2 weeks' notice, were offered a close alternative flight, or the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances.
Can I get a refund instead of waiting?
If your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours and you decide not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund.