Qantas delay compensation
Compensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time. It is the arrival that counts, not the departure: a flight that leaves four hours late but makes up time and lands 2 hours 50 minutes late is not covered.
Which Qantas flights are covered
Qantas is registered in Australia — 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 Australia or elsewhere: not covered by either, because Qantas 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 Qantas routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → Sydney (SYD) | 17,020 km | UK261 | £520 |
| Sydney (SYD) → London (LHR) | 17,020 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → Sydney (SYD) | 16,944 km | EU261 | €600 |
| Sydney (SYD) → Paris (CDG) | 16,944 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because Qantas is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What Qantas is likely to say — and the answer
“Extraordinary circumstances” with no detail — ask which circumstance, and for the evidence.
“A technical problem” — not an extraordinary circumstance, and settled by the Court of Justice.
“The inbound aircraft arrived late” — a knock-on delay only counts if the original cause was itself extraordinary.
A disputed arrival time — ask for their recorded on-blocks time and compare it with yours.
Specific to Qantas
Not an EU or UK carrier. A London or Paris departure to Australia is covered; the flight back is not.
Their European departures connect through Singapore or Perth on a single booking, so the covered outbound is measured on arrival in Australia.
These are the longest routes in the network and sit firmly in the top band.
Codeshares with Emirates and Finnair are common — check who actually operated your flight.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Qantas delay appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Qantas’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.
Qantas delay: common questions
How much can I claim from Qantas for a delay?
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 Qantas’s routes.
My Qantas flight left more than three hours late but landed less than three hours late. Can I claim?
No. The test is how late you arrive at your final destination. If the flight made up time and landed under three hours late, the fixed compensation does not apply — though you may still have been owed meals and refreshments during the wait.
What reasons does Qantas give for refusing delay claims?
The most common are: Extraordinary circumstances with no detail; A technical problem; The inbound aircraft arrived late; A disputed arrival time. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Qantas delay 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 Qantas claims
- Qantas: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Qantas: 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).
- Qantas: 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.
- Qantas: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.