Does EU261 or UK261 apply to my Ryanair flight?

It depends on which Ryanair entity operated the flight and the departure airport. If the flight departs from a UK airport, UK261 applies. If departing from an EU airport, EU261 applies. If operated by Ryanair DAC (Irish entity) arriving in the EU, EU261 applies. Check your boarding pass for the operating entity.

How much compensation can I get from Ryanair for a delayed UK flight?

Under UK261: £220 for routes under 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500 to 3,500 km, £520 for over 3,500 km. Most Ryanair UK routes are short to medium haul, so £220 or £350 applies to the majority of claims.

What is the difference between Ryanair DAC and Ryanair UK?

Ryanair DAC is the original Irish entity, licensed in Ireland (EU) and subject to EU261. Ryanair UK is a separate UK entity established post-Brexit, licensed in the UK and subject to UK261. Both operate under the Ryanair brand, but the applicable regulation differs.

How do I find out which Ryanair entity operated my flight?

Check your boarding pass and booking confirmation. Ryanair DAC flights typically use the FR flight code with no additional designation. Ryanair UK flights are operated under the Ryanair UK entity. The booking confirmation or e-ticket should specify the operating carrier.

What ADR scheme handles Ryanair UK261 claims?

Check the UK CAA's current list of approved ADR members at caa.co.uk to confirm which scheme Ryanair UK belongs to. CEDR and Aviation ADR are the two main approved UK aviation ADR providers.

Ryanair refused my UK261 claim. What do I do next?

Escalate to the appropriate ADR scheme (check CAA's list for Ryanair's current ADR provider). If ADR rules against you or is unavailable, file in UK Small Claims Court (MCOL). Many Ryanair UK261 refusals are overturned at ADR and court stages.

Does UK261 cover Ryanair flight cancellations within 14 days of departure?

Yes. If Ryanair cancels a UK261-covered flight with less than 14 days notice, you are entitled to the standard fixed compensation (£220, £350, or £520 depending on distance), subject to the extraordinary circumstances and re-routing rules.

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UK261May 2, 2026•8 min read

Ryanair UK261 Claims: Compensation for Flights to and From the UK

Loren Castillo

Founder, TravelStacks

Ryanair operates UK routes through two separate legal entities: Ryanair DAC (EU, covered by EU261) and Ryanair UK (UK, covered by UK261). Identifying the correct entity and regulation is the first step to a successful claim for UK Ryanair flight delays and cancellations.

Ryanair Post-Brexit: Two Entities, Two Regulations

Ryanair split into two legal entities after Brexit. Ryanair DAC (Irish entity, EU carrier) covers most international routes including many UK routes, and is subject to EU261. Ryanair UK (UK entity, UK carrier) covers UK-specific routes and is subject to UK261. Check your boarding pass to see which entity operated your flight.

Before Brexit, all Ryanair flights were operated by Ryanair DAC, an Irish airline, under EU261. After Brexit, Ryanair established a separate UK entity (Ryanair UK Limited) to maintain its right to operate domestic UK routes and certain UK-EU routes under the UK-EU air services agreement. This split means that the applicable regulation depends on which Ryanair entity operated your specific flight.

Which Ryanair Flights Are Covered Under UK261

UK261 applies to flights operated by Ryanair UK (the UK entity) arriving in the UK from non-UK airports (because Ryanair UK is a UK carrier) and to flights operated by any Ryanair entity departing from UK airports (because UK261 covers all carriers on UK-departure flights).

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Any Ryanair flight departing from a UK airport (LHR, STN, MAN, EDI, etc.): UK261 applies to all carriers on UK-departure flights.
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Ryanair UK flights arriving in the UK from non-UK airports: UK261 covers Ryanair UK as a UK carrier.
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Examples of UK261-covered Ryanair routes: London Stansted to Dublin (STN is UK), Manchester to Malaga (MAN is UK), Edinburgh to Barcelona (EDI is UK).

Which Ryanair Flights Are Covered Under EU261

EU261 applies to flights operated by Ryanair DAC (the Irish entity) arriving in the EU from non-EU airports and to all flights departing from EU airports (any Ryanair entity).

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Any Ryanair flight departing from an EU airport: EU261 applies regardless of which entity is operating.
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Ryanair DAC flights arriving in the EU from non-EU airports (including UK airports): EU261 applies because Ryanair DAC is an EU carrier.
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Examples of EU261-covered Ryanair routes: Dublin to London Stansted (DUB is EU, even though STN is UK). Madrid to Manchester (MAD is EU). Rome to Edinburgh (FCO is EU).

Compensation Amounts for Ryanair Flights

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UK261 (UK-departure or Ryanair UK arrival in UK): £220 (under 1,500 km), £350 (1,500 to 3,500 km), £520 (over 3,500 km).
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EU261 (EU-departure or Ryanair DAC arrival in EU): €250 (under 1,500 km), €400 (1,500 to 3,500 km), €600 (over 3,500 km).
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Most Ryanair routes are short to medium haul: The majority of Ryanair's network operates routes under 3,500 km, placing most claims in the £220 to £350 or €250 to €400 tiers.
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Trigger: 3 or more hours late at the final destination, cancellation with less than 14 days notice, or involuntary denied boarding.

How to File a UK261 Claim Against Ryanair

1
File online at ryanair.com: Go to Customer Care and select 'Flight disruption / compensation claim.' Enter your booking details and specify which regulation you are claiming under (UK261 or EU261).
2
Identify the operating entity: Check your boarding pass for 'FR' (Ryanair DAC) or the Ryanair UK flight prefix. This determines which regulation applies.
3
State the specific amount you are claiming and the basis.
4
Submit evidence: Boarding pass and a flight status record confirming the delay at the final destination.
5
Wait up to 8 weeks for Ryanair's response.

Ryanair's Dispute Resolution and ADR

If Ryanair refuses your UK261 claim, escalate to an approved ADR scheme. Ryanair DAC disputes go to CEDR (for EU261 claims with a UK element) or the relevant EU national body. For Ryanair UK disputes specifically, check the current ADR membership on the CAA's approved list.

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CEDR (cedr.com/aviation): For Ryanair UK261 disputes where Ryanair participates in CEDR.
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CCPC (Ireland): Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission handles EU261 complaints against Ryanair DAC (Irish entity).
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UK Small Claims Court (MCOL): For UK261 claims where ADR is unavailable or unsuccessful.
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Wait until 8 weeks post-complaint before escalating, or after receiving Ryanair's final refusal response.

Getting Help With a Ryanair UK261 Claim

Ryanair has a reputation for initially refusing a high proportion of compensation claims. Persistence through ADR and court action has a strong track record of overturning refusals. Third-party claim services also handle Ryanair UK261 and EU261 claims on contingency, typically taking 20 to 35% of the recovered amount.

For the full UK261 escalation process, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority complaints guide. For more on UK261 rights, see the complete rights overview. For international passenger rights, see the main guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

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