Qatar Airways delay and cancellation compensation

Checked 15 Sep 2026·10 min read · 6 tables

£220, £350 or £520 under UK261, or €250, €400 or €600 under EU261: Qatar Airways owes that per passenger when a flight it operates from a UK or EU airport reaches your final destination three hours or more late, unless extraordinary circumstances caused the delay. Every UK departure clears 3,500 km, so the figure there is £260 until the four-hour mark and £520 after it. Qatar Airways delay compensation depends on where you take off: its flights into the UK or the EU fall outside both Regulations.

• UK261 ££220–£520per passenger, 3 h or more late at arrival
• EU261 €€250–€600per passenger, 3 h or more late at arrival
• Claim serviceNo win, no feeHand the claim over →

Key facts: Qatar Airways

Source: UK261 arts. 3, 7, Limitation Act 1980 s.9, Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 art. 4, Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s.6 — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 arts. 3, 7 — eur-lex.europa.eu; EASA third-country operators list (14 Sep 2026) — easa.europa.eu; CAA licence holders and ADR pages — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

#Why do UK261 and EU261 cover Qatar Airways only on flights departing the UK or EU?

1 licence fact decides coverage: QATAR AIRWAYS GROUP Q.C.S.C. is a third-country operator, listed by EASA as QAT-0002 and absent from the CAA’s Type A licence list. Both Regulations cover any airline leaving their airports; inbound, EU261 needs an EU-licensed operating carrier, and UK261 an EU- or UK-licensed one into the UK.

Source: UK261 art. 3(1) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 art. 3(1) — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

Which rules apply to your Qatar Airways flight

Operating company: QATAR AIRWAYS GROUP Q.C.S.C., third-country operator QAT-0002 on the EASA third-country operators list (updated 14 September 2026), not on the CAA airline licence holders list.

A Qatar Airways flight booked on its own that departs Doha or elsewhere outside the UK and the EU is not covered; for a return on the same booking, the rules we rely on do not settle the point.

#When does UK261 cover a Qatar Airways flight?

UK261 article 3(1)(a) covers every passenger departing a UK airport, whatever the airline. For arrivals, article 3(1)(b) needs a Community carrier or a UK air carrier. Qatar Airways is neither.

#When does EU261 cover a Qatar Airways flight?

Beyond EU airports, Iceland and Norway apply EU261 through the EEA Agreement, Switzerland through its Air Transport Agreement with the EU, so Oslo or Zurich departures count.

Check the “operated by” line of every leg: the operating carrier owes the claim under article 3(5).

#How much does Qatar Airways owe for a 3-hour delay from a UK or EU airport?

£220, £350 or £520 under UK261, or €250, €400 or €600 under EU261, is what Qatar Airways owes per passenger once a UK or EU departure reaches your final destination three hours or more late. Beyond 3,500 km the top band halves to £260 or €300 until you are four hours late.

Source: UK261 arts. 2(n), 6(3), 7(1)-(2) — legislation.gov.uk; CAA, Delays — caa.co.uk; EU261 art. 7(1)-(2); Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009) — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

Pounds apply only to UK departures, euros only to EU departures.

Source: our own haversine calculation from airport coordinates, rounded to 10 km, not official figures; bands UK261 and EU261 art. 7(1), checked 2026-09-15.

All three UK airports sit in the top band; Athens and Larnaca stay in the middle one, where 3 to 4 hours late still pays the full €400.

Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009) gave delayed passengers the article 7 amounts and allowed the article 7(2) cut below four hours late over 3,500 km. That £260 or €300 step is Qatar Airways' option, because article 7(2) says “may”; from 4 hours late the full amount is due.

Lateness counts from when passengers may leave the aircraft (UK261 article 2(n)). At 2 hours 59 minutes nothing is owed.

Note when the doors opened, then check your band in the compensation calculator or the UK261 delay guide.

#How does a connecting Qatar Airways journey via its hub count?

3 hours or more late at your final destination, not at Doha, is the test when every leg sits on one booking from a UK or EU airport. The band follows great-circle distance from first airport to last: Athens to Bangkok via Doha is 7,930 km.

Source: UK261 arts. 3(1A), 7(1) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 art. 7(1); Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013) — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

Connecting Qatar Airways journey: which distance sets the amount

Source: our own haversine calculation, rounded to 10 km; amounts UK261 and EU261 art. 7(1)-(2), checked 2026-09-15.

The leg to Doha never sets the band on a through booking.

Under EU261, Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013) measures a connecting journey’s delay at its final destination: a start from Athens 50 minutes late that costs you the Doha connection counts once you reach Bangkok 3 hours or more late.

In a FlyerTalk post dated 26 November 2024 (passenger report), HeleneF writes: “Our flight leaving Spain was late, which made me miss my connecting flight in Qatar.” The post does not say whether she claimed or was paid. If that trip was one booking, its Barcelona start put it under EU261.

#How does UK261 treat a missed Doha connection?

UK261 article 3(1A), in force since 14 December 2023, treats a multi-leg flight booked as a single unit as departing from the first leg’s airport. In Gahan v Emirates [2017] EWCA Civ 1530, the Court of Appeal held that for a single booking from an EU airport (the UK was then a member state) on a non-EU carrier, Manchester to Dubai to Bangkok or Sydney, compensation is assessed on the delay at the final destination, including a missed onward connection outside the EU. The decision binds lower courts in England and Wales.

A Bangkok to Edinburgh journey booked on its own stays outside UK261. Keep the confirmation that lists every leg.

#How do you claim compensation from Qatar Airways directly?

7,930 km, not the 2,960 km leg to Doha, is what an Athens — Doha — Bangkok booking claims on: the €600 band instead of the €400 one. A Qatar Airways claim naming only the leg that ran late asks for the wrong amount, so list every flight number on the booking.

Source: UK261 arts. 6(1), 7(1), 8(1) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 arts. 6(1), 7(1), 7(4), 8(1) — eur-lex.europa.eu; our own haversine calculation, rounded to 10 km; CAA, How the CAA can help — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

With them go the time you could leave the aircraft at your final destination and your distance-band amount. Write to Qatar Airways before anyone else: the CAA’s complaints team takes a UK case only after a written complaint to the airline.

Qatar Airways has pages titled “Submit Request Form”, “UK Air passenger rights” and “EU Air passenger rights” (listed in search results 14 Sep 2026). Cite UK261 article 6(3) and 7(1), or EU261 article 7(1) with Sturgeon for an EU departure.

Qatar Airways delay compensation and a refund are separate rights: after a cancellation, article 8(1) gives a choice of reimbursement within seven days or re-routing, and under article 6(1) a delay of 5 hours or more opens reimbursement too.

#Qatar Airways claim and complaint contacts

Set an 8-week reminder from the day you send the claim.

#Where do you escalate a refused Qatar Airways claim from a UK flight?

8 weeks without a reply, or an answer you disagree with, opens the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) for a Qatar Airways flight from a UK airport. Qatar Airways is not among the members listed in the CAA ADR lists checked 15 Sep 2026, and PACT cannot impose a binding decision.

Source: CAA, Alternative Dispute Resolution; CAA, How the CAA can help — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

PACT advises whether it thinks your complaint is valid and, if so, takes it up with the airline, but the CAA says it does “not have the legal powers to impose a solution on an airline”. PACT will not handle complaints where there is less than a year to take legal action (ADR scheme guide, ADR membership map).

#If Qatar Airways rejects your claim

A refusal stands only on extraordinary circumstances as UK261 article 2(o) defines them, and the test, limb by limb is spelled out there. A valid refusal removes the fixed payment only; care and re-routing stay owed. Ask in writing for the cause and the measures taken.

Court enforces what PACT cannot: in England and Wales a £520 small claim costs £70 to issue, and one claim for two passengers at £1,040 costs £80.

Source: UK261 arts. 2(o), 5(3), 6(4) — legislation.gov.uk; court fees — gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

From an EU airport, EU261 article 16 makes the enforcement body of the departure state responsible. The European Commission list updated 27 August 2026 names, among others, the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) for Germany and the Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (AESA) for Spain. Send that body your claim and Qatar Airways' reply.

Refused on a Qatar Airways flight that departed a UK or EU airport? AirHelp (third-party claim service) works no win no fee and keeps a fee from any payout; Qatar Airways' request form and PACT stay free.

Do it yourself · freeClaim with the airline, then ADR

• Write to the airline and keep the reference
• Refused, or no answer in 8 weeks: its ADR scheme or the CAA, free
• You keep all of the compensation

Use the claim letter template →

Hand it overAirHelp takes the claim, no win no fee

• They deal with Qatar Airways for you
• AirHelp's fee is 35% of the compensation, VAT included, and nothing if the claim fails.

Start with AirHelp →Third-party claim service

#How long do you have to claim against Qatar Airways?

6 years is the limit for a UK261 claim against Qatar Airways in England and Wales, where UK261 article 3(9) applies section 9 of the Limitation Act 1980 — a statute that extends no further. Northern Ireland reaches the same 6 years by its own 1989 Order. Scotland allows 5 years under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973.

Source: UK261 art. 3(9); Limitation Act 1980 s.9; Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 art. 4; Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s.6 — legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

Scotland is the open point: no Scottish court has decided whether the 5-year prescription or article 3(9) governs a UK261 claim, so file inside 5 years if a Scottish court might hear yours. From an EU airport, EU261 sets no period; each country’s limitation rules apply.

That PACT cut-off is about PACT, not about your right to sue: the court deadline is unchanged, and reaching PACT well before it keeps both routes open. Diarise that date.

Similar airlines: Emirates, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways and Saudia are also third-country operators, covered by UK261 and EU261 only on UK and EU departures.

Not your situation? Canada: Air Passenger Protection Regulations; baggage: Montreal Convention; unsure: which law covers my flight. Flying in the US? US federal rules differ: see US DOT rules.

General information, not legal advice. For your specific case: the CAA, your European Consumer Centre, Citizens Advice or a solicitor.

Qatar Airways complaints in the CAA figures

464 Reg 261 complaints about Qatar Airways reached CAA (PACT) in the CAA's 2025/26 figures (April 2025 to March 2026), an estimated 143 per million passengers, and 53.0% of cases were upheld. These are complaints the ADR body or the CAA received, not delays.

Qatar Airways: complaints, April 2025 to March 2026

CAA figure	FY26
Handled by	CAA (PACT)
Reg 261 complaints	464
All complaints opened	504
Per million passengers (CAA estimate)	143
Uphold rate	53.0%

Source: CAA, Passenger Complaints Data FY26 (Q2 2025 – Q1 2026), data correct as of 3 June 2026 — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-22. The CAA calls the per-million figure "an indicative estimated value only".

#Sources

• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it forms part of UK law, arts. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/1370) - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, arts. 3, 7, 8 and 16 - eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• EEA Joint Committee Decision No 171/2004 - eur-lex.europa.eu; EU-Switzerland Air Transport Agreement, Annex - eur-lex.europa.eu; Commission Interpretative Guidelines C/2024/5687 - eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• Limitation Act 1980 s.9 - legislation.gov.uk; Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 art. 4 - legislation.gov.uk; Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s.6 - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• EASA, Authorised Third Country Operators (updated 14 Sep 2026) - easa.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Airline licence holders - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Delays - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Alternative Dispute Resolution - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, How the CAA can help - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Court fees for money claims - gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• European Commission, National Enforcement Bodies — Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 27 Aug 2026) - transport.ec.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009), CJEU - eur-lex.europa.eu.
• Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013), CJEU - eur-lex.europa.eu.
• Gahan v Emirates [2017] EWCA Civ 1530, Court of Appeal (Civil Division) - caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
• Qatar Airways (listed in search results 14 Sep 2026): Submit Request Form, UK Air passenger rights, EU Air passenger rights.

#FAQ

Does Qatar offer compensation for delayed flights?

Only on departures from a UK or EU airport, three hours or more late at your final destination. Over 3,500 km that means £260 or €300 below four hours late, £520 or €600 from four. Shorter routes pay £350 or €400, and £220 or €250 under 1,500 km. Extraordinary circumstances Qatar Airways proves remove every figure.

How do I file a claim with Qatar Airways?

1 written claim to Qatar Airways comes first; search results on 14 Sep 2026 list its page titled Submit Request Form. Give every flight number, the time you could leave the aircraft at your final destination and your distance-band amount, citing UK261 article 6(3) or EU261 article 7(1). After 8 weeks unanswered, UK departures can go to CAA PACT.

Does Qatar Airways pay UK261 compensation?

Yes, on UK departures. Three hours or more late at your final destination is worth £260 below the four-hour mark, £520 from four hours, barring proven extraordinary circumstances. Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh all measure over 5,200 km to Doha on our own calculation, which is what puts them in that top band.

Does EU261 apply to Qatar Airways flights into Europe?

0 Qatar Airways flights into the EU qualify under EU261 article 3(1)(b), which covers third-country arrivals only on a Community carrier. Qatar Airways is third-country operator QAT-0002. Its departures from EU airports are covered, at €250, €400 or €600 by distance, the top band paying €300 until four hours late, and nothing where extraordinary circumstances are proved.

Why is a Qatar Airways claim six years in England but five in Scotland?

6 years comes from article 3(9) of UK261 pointing at section 9 of the Limitation Act 1980, a statute that extends to England and Wales only. Northern Ireland reaches 6 through its own 1989 Order. Scotland's 1973 Act says 5, and which of the two governs is what no court has decided.