Compensation After Barcelona Airport Flight Cancellations and Delays

When your travel plans are ruined by issues like Barcelona Airport flight cancellations or delays, you'll be glad to know that there are laws in place that protect passengers. Laws in both the EU and UK mean that you might be owed up to £520 (€600) per person to make up for the disruption. Find out what you're entitled to.

Barcelona Airport (BCN) is located within the zone covered by an EU law, EC 261. This law covers EU and EEA countries, as well as the 'outermost regions' which include Guadeloupe, Réunion, and the Canary Islands. If you were flying between the UK and Barcelona Airport you could have additional protection from the UK's passenger rights too. This means that any passenger flying to or from Barcelona may be entitled to up to £520 (€600 in the EU) compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled.

If you did experience Barcelona Airport delays or cancellations, you usually have up to 3 years to claim your compensation.

Which Flights are Covered by EC 261?

Looking into Barcelona Airport cancellations brings up a whole range of questions for affected travellers. Under EU, as well as under UK law, airlines must take care of their passengers, but must also get them to their intended destination, assuming the passenger still wishes to travel.

Additionally, if the airline cancelled your flight less than 2 weeks before you were due to fly, you may be owed up to £520 as well, or up to €600 in the EU

Passengers should be aware that there are some exceptions under the law. One example is if Barcelona Airport had to cancel flights for a reason that was outside of the airline's control. That is classified as extraordinary circumstances and the airline won't have to pay compensation. Typical examples of extraordinary circumstances include dangerous weather conditions at Barcelona Airport, or a strike by air traffic control.

We break down the situations where you are, and aren't, in line for compensation here, but our free compensation check can also tell you in just minutes if your flight cancellation qualifies for compensation.

Getting stuck for several hours because of delays in Barcelona Airport isn't just frustrating, it often costs passengers their hard-earned money. Whether that's paying for essential food and drink during your wait, or missing out on pre-planned activities thanks to a late arrival at your destination. That's why it's so important passengers are aware that they may have the right to compensation — up to £520 or €600 per person, under EU law.

Although passengers on delayed flights from Barcelona Airport will be counting down the hours until takeoff, when it comes to claiming compensation, it's the delay getting to your destination airport that's important. The right to compensation kicks in when passengers land 3 hours or more after the scheduled time.

Air travellers should know about one key exception: flight delays as a result of extraordinary circumstances. If the flight delay was caused by bad weather conditions, an incident at the airport, or strikes by air traffic control, the airline won't pay compensation in these cases, because these are not situations that they can control.

Table shows values in € as specified in EC 261

While the law does contain plenty of exceptions and conditions that apply to these compensation amounts, our free Compensation Calculator will quickly tell you just what you're owed.

Delays or Barcelona Airport flight cancellations have the potential to ruin holidays. Here’s what you need to do if your flight is affected:

• Collect proof of the delay or flight cancellation (e.g. emails from the airline, photos of the departure board).

• Keep all your travel documents.

• Ask your airline why your flight's been affected.

• Ask the airline to pay for your meals and refreshments.

• Pay attention to what the airline offers you — don't sign anything that would waive your right to compensation.

• Keep all receipts that prove the disruption cost you extra money.