What Is The Definition Of Arrival Time For Flight Delay Compensation? By Flight Delay Compensation Team. Last Updated 14th January 2025. Bott and Co Solicitors Ltd 4.7/5 Based on 12,698 reviews. Home Flight Delay Compensation Guides What Is The Definition Of Arrival Time For Flight Delay Compensation? When calculating the length of a flight delay under EU regulation 261, the arrival time is when at least one of the plane doors is opened. The definition of how the arrival time should be calculated for flight delay compensation claims under EU regulation 261 has been contested in several high-profile court cases for over a decade. Arrival time is not when the aircraft lands on the runway, comes to a standstill, or even arrives at the gate. It is only calculated by when one of the plane’s doors is opened. Why Choose Bott and Co? bottco_icon_tick A History Of Success We have claimed over £80m in flight compensation from the airlines. bottco_icon_tick Expert Legal Advice Recognised not just within our industry but also by Martin Lewis as “pioneers” in our field. bottco_icon_tick On Your Side Completely independent, our only focus is helping you claim for what you are legally entitled to. bottco_icon_tick Fully Regulated We are members of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Your claim is in safe hands. Get a Free, Instant Decision On Your Flight Now CHECK YOUR FLIGHT How To Calculate The Arrival Time For Flight Delay Compensation? Arrival Time Is Arrival time is only calculated when one of the aircraft doors is opened. Arrival Time Is Not When the aircraft lands, touches down on the runway When the aircraft is taxiing to the gate When the aircraft has come to a complete stop at the gate When the aircraft engines are turned off. Claim Flight Compensation With Bott and Co Flight Delay Compensation Flight Delay Compensation Calculator Cancelled Flight Compensation Denied Boarding Flight Compensation Overbooked Flight Compensation Missed Connecting Flight Compensation Diverted Flight Compensation Flight Refund EU Reg 261 Compensation Case History Relating To Definition Of Arrival Time In November 2009, the European Court of Justice confirmed in the case of Sturgeon vs Condor that passengers are entitled to compensation where they suffer a loss of time equal to or over three hours, that is, where they reach their final destination three hours or more after the originally scheduled arrival time by the air carrier. The exact time of arrival is usually clear to both the airline and the passenger. The exception, however, is when the arrival delay is close to the 3-hour threshold. In these cases, it is essential to identify precisely when the flight arrived. In the case of Germanwings GmbH v Ronny Henning (C‑452/13), in September 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) was asked to consider whether arrival delay meant:- a) the time that the aircraft lands on the runway (“touchdown”); b) the time that the aircraft reaches its parking position and the parking brakes are engaged, or the chocks have been applied (“on-block time”); c) the time that the aircraft door is opened; d) some other time as agreed between the parties. The highest Court in Europe noted that passengers are confined in the aircraft for the entirety of the flight, and this situation does not change when the flight touches down or when the aircraft reaches its parking position and applies the brakes. What Our Clients Say "Bott and Co get the job done. Kept informed throughout, answered within 24 hours any fears we felt about the outcome, reassured at all times, especially when I had tried numerous times to challenge the airline company direct and was told no way was I entitled to compensation, whereas Bott and Co came up trumps." Bott and Co Solicitors Ltd 4.7/5 Based on 12,698 reviews. It is only when the passengers are permitted to leave the aircraft, and the order is given to open the doors that the passengers may, in principle, resume their normal activities without being subject to those constraints. Accordingly, the Court ruled that ‘arrival delay’ corresponds to the time at which at least one of the doors of the aircraft is opened, the assumption being that, at that moment, the passengers are permitted to leave the aircraft. Anybody travelling by air will appreciate that there can often be a considerable period between the aircraft parking and the doors being opened. If a passenger is subject to an arrival delay that is on the cusp of the threshold, they would be advised to take photographs of the aircraft doors to show that they remained closed beyond the threshold time. This can later be used as evidence if the airline argues that the delay was less than 3 hours. Recent Successful Flight Compensation Claims £700 awarded to couple for 6 hour easyJet delay Bott and Co help couple receive £350 each in compensation after arriving on holiday to Corfu late. £1,050 claimed following TUI flight cancellation We secured compensation for family of 3 who missed a day of their holiday due to flight cancellation. £1400 secured for flight delay caused by crew-out-of-hours Family receive £350 compensation each after Jet2 flight to Manchester from Antalya was delayed for 22.5 hours. £2,080 obtained for family of 4 following missed conection Family instruct Bott and Co after missing connecting flight to London due to BA departure delay at JFK Airport. £1,400 secured for WizzAir flight cancellation We helped family of 4 flying from Lithuania to London receive £350 each for flight cancellation. £1,400 recovered following Jet2 cancellation Family of 4 returning from their holiday in Turkey arrive home 2 days late following flight cancellation. We successfully claim £1,050 for TUI flight cancellation Passengers receive £350 each after their flight to Tunisia was cancelled and rescheduled for 24 hours later. Family of 4 receive £2,080 after being rerouted twice Family going to Miami with American Airlines were rerouted to New York AND Dallas before arriving in California. £2,080 compensation for family delayed 3 days by Emirates Family of 4's delay at Birmingham Airport led to missed connection in Dubai and new flight given 3 days later. Previous Tweet Next Tweet How Do I Know If My Flight Is Eligible For Flight Compensation? EU Reg 261 protects airline passengers whose flights departed from or arrived at a UK or EU airport on a UK or EU airline. You can claim for delayed flights that departed in the last six years. Under UK law, you will be able to make a claim for EU261 compensation if your flight: Departed from the UK Arrived in the UK on a UK or EU airline Arrived in the EU on a UK airline Flights Covered By EU261 Departing From Arriving To Can I Claim? Airport inside UK/ EU Airport inside UK/EU Yes (Claimable for any airline) Airport inside UK/ EU Airport outside UK/EU Yes (Claimable for any airline) Airport outside UK/EU Airport inside UK/EU Yes (If on an EU based airline) Airport outside UK/EU Airport outside UK/EU No Claiming With Bott and Co All Our Flight Claim Guides Free Flight Compensation Letter Template Frequently Asked Questions Fees Customer Reviews When Can I Claim Flight Delay Compensation? You may be entitled to claim up to £520 per passenger in flight delay compensation if your flight arrives at least three hours later than scheduled and the delay was the airline’s responsibility and not an “extraordinary circumstance.” You can also claim flight compensation if your flight was cancelled, you were involuntarily denied boarding, or you missed a connecting flight. Award Winning Customer Service bottco_icon_tick The UK's Most Recommended 4.7/5 Feefo score and over 680,000 happy clients bottco_icon_tick No Win No Fee Our No Win No Fee Promise means you are at no financial risk when making a claim bottco_icon_tick Claim In Less Than A Minute Claim up to £520 in less than a minute with our simple form bottco_icon_tick Get Compensation Quicker Many of our flight compensation claims are settled within 60 days. Get a Free, Instant Decision On Your Flight Now CHECK YOUR FLIGHT How Much Flight Delay Compensation Can I Claim? The maximum compensation you can claim for a delayed flight is £520 per passenger. How much you can claim will depend on how many hours your flight was delayed and the flight distance. The level of compensation increases the longer you are delayed and the further the distance of your flight. You can claim for each passenger individually. If you were a family of four and were due £520 each, the total amount would be £2080. The compensation amounts are fixed and unrelated to the ticket cost, the class of the fare you booked or whether you used air miles. Our table below shows how much flight delay compensation you could claim. EU261 Flight Delay Compensation Claim Amounts in UK Pounds Flight Distance Less than 3 hours 3 hours or more More than 4 hours Never arrived All flights 1,500km or less £0 £220 £220 £220 Internal EU flights over 1,500km £0 £350 £350 £350 Non-internal EU flights between 1,500km and 3,500km £0 £350 £350 £350 Internal EU flights over 3,500km £0 £260 £520 £520 Meet Our Solicitors Coby Benson A member of The Law Society and a SRA Registered Solicitor, Coby has been instrumental in establishing flight delay compensation law in the UK, including playing a significant part in the landmark cases of Huzar v Jet2 and Dawson v Thomson at The Supreme Court. Coby is regularly asked for comment in the national media, regularly featuring in The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent as well as appearing on BBC Television, Sky News, ITV and BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live. More About Coby