Cathay Pacific missed connection compensation
Where all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination. If you arrive there 3 hours or more late, compensation is due — even if the first flight was only a little late. Flights bought on separate bookings are treated as separate journeys.
Which Cathay Pacific flights are covered
Cathay Pacific is registered in Hong Kong — outside the EU and UK — so only flights leaving Europe are covered.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Flying into the UK or EU from Hong Kong or elsewhere: not covered by either, because Cathay Pacific is not a UK or EU carrier.
- That means a return trip is usually half-protected: the outbound from Europe counts, the flight home does not.
Worked examples on Cathay Pacific routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → Hong Kong (HKG) | 9,631 km | UK261 | £520 |
| Hong Kong (HKG) → London (LHR) | 9,631 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → Hong Kong (HKG) | 9,591 km | EU261 | €600 |
| Hong Kong (HKG) → Paris (CDG) | 9,591 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because Cathay Pacific is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What Cathay Pacific is likely to say — and the answer
“The first flight was only 40 minutes late” — irrelevant on a single booking; the delay is measured at the end.
“You booked the flights separately” — genuinely fatal if true. Check your booking reference.
“The connection was operated by our partner” — the operating carrier of the delayed flight is who you claim from.
“Minimum connection time” arguments — if they sold you the connection, they accepted it as viable.
Specific to Cathay Pacific
Not an EU or UK carrier. London, Manchester, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Milan departures are covered; the returns from Hong Kong are not.
Hong Kong connections onto the rest of Asia and Australia on a single booking are measured at the final destination.
Every Europe–Hong Kong route is well over 3,500 km, so the covered direction is £520 or €600.
They typically respond within about six weeks with a specific operational reason.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Cathay Pacific missed connection appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Cathay Pacific’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Cathay Pacific missed connection: common questions
How much can I claim from Cathay Pacific for a missed connection?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Cathay Pacific’s routes.
I missed my connection with Cathay Pacific. Which flight do I claim for?
If all the flights were on one booking, you claim for the journey as a whole, measured at your final destination, from the airline that operated the delayed flight. The distance used is the full distance from your first departure airport to your final destination.
What reasons does Cathay Pacific give for refusing missed connection claims?
The most common are: The first flight was only 40 minutes late; You booked the flights separately; The connection was operated by our partner; Minimum connection time arguments. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Cathay Pacific missed connection claim?
It depends on where you bring the claim, usually where the flight departed or arrived. Six years in England and Wales; two to five years in most EU countries.
Other Cathay Pacific claims
- Cathay Pacific: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Cathay Pacific: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Cathay Pacific: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Cathay Pacific: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.