Delayed or cancelled? You may be owed up to 600 EUR
Every week, flights between Europe and Pakistan run hours late, and most passengers never claim what the law owes them. The rule of thumb: if your flight DEPARTED from a UK or EU airport and arrived 3 or more hours late at your final destination for a reason within the airline’s control, you can claim compensation. That applies on any airline, including PIA, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines, and it covers missed connections in Doha, Dubai or Istanbul when everything was on one ticket.
AirHelp
The biggest flight compensation service
AirHelp checks your flight for free and only takes a cut if they actually win compensation from the airline. No win, no fee.
Check your flight free at AirHelpCompensair
Alternative claim service, also no win no fee
A solid second option if you want to compare success fees before submitting a claim.
Compare at CompensairBoth are affiliate partners: they pay us a commission if your claim succeeds, at no extra cost to you. You can also always claim directly with the airline for free. How we make money
When you can claim, and when you honestly cannot
Usually covered
- Departures from UK/EU airports, on any airline, delayed 3+ hours at final destination
- Missed hub connections on one ticket, when the journey started in the UK/EU
- Cancellations announced less than 14 days before departure (from UK/EU)
- Arrivals into the UK/EU on UK/EU airlines (BA, Virgin, Lufthansa, KLM and so on)
- Denied boarding because the flight was oversold
Usually not covered
- Departures FROM Pakistan on PIA, Gulf or Turkish carriers (non-UK/EU airline, non-EU departure)
- Bad weather, air traffic control strikes and other "extraordinary circumstances"
- Cancellations announced more than 14 days ahead
- Self-transfer trips on separate tickets, where each leg is judged alone
- Domestic flights within Pakistan
This page is general information, not legal advice. The rules summarised here are UK261 and EU261; claim services will assess your specific flight for free.
Frequently asked questions
My London to Islamabad flight was delayed 5 hours. Am I owed money?
Very possibly. Flights departing a UK or EU airport are covered by UK261/EU261 passenger rights rules regardless of which airline operates them, including PIA, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines. For a delay of 3 hours or more at final destination that was within the airline’s control, long-haul compensation is up to 520 GBP / 600 EUR per passenger. Weather and some other causes are exempt.
My Islamabad to London flight was delayed. Same rules?
Here is the honest part: flights DEPARTING Pakistan on a non-UK/EU airline (PIA, Qatar, Emirates, Turkish and so on) are NOT covered by UK/EU rules, because coverage on inbound flights only applies to UK/EU carriers. A British Airways or Virgin Atlantic departure from abroad to the UK is covered. On other airlines you rely on the airline’s own policy and Pakistani consumer rules, which are weaker.
What about my connection through Doha, Dubai or Istanbul?
If your journey started at a UK/EU airport on ONE booking, a missed connection at the hub that makes you 3+ hours late at final destination can still qualify for compensation, even though the disruption happened outside Europe. This is a well-established principle from EU case law. Separate tickets do not get this protection.
How far back can I claim?
Time limits depend on the country whose courts would hear the claim: often around 6 years in England, shorter elsewhere. Old flights from the last few years can still be worth checking, and checking is free.
What does a claim service cost?
Services like AirHelp and Compensair work no-win-no-fee: checking is free, and they keep a share (typically around a third) only if they win. You can always claim directly with the airline yourself for free; the services earn their cut when airlines stall, reject valid claims or force legal action.