Flight Delay Expenses Claim
Duty-of-care expenses
Reasonable meals, overnight hotel, hotel transfers and communication costs not supplied by the airline. Keep receipts; reimbursement is assessed separately from compensation.
Use one currency per schedule. For mixed-currency receipts, prepare separate schedules; do not add different currencies together.
Expenses requested: £0.00
Evidence checklist
- Booking confirmation and flight details
- Itemised receipts showing dates, currency and purchases
- Airline messages and records of requesting care
- Explanation of why each expense was necessary
- Exclude alcohol, luxury purchases and costs already paid by someone else
Nothing is uploaded or saved. Attach your evidence yourself when submitting to the airline. An expenses total is not a finding that the airline owes every item.
When the airline must provide care
For a covered journey, care during a departure delay starts at these thresholds. This is not the arrival-delay test for compensation.
| Flight distance | Departure delay |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | 2 hours or more |
| 1,500–3,500 km; intra-EU flights over 1,500 km | 3 hours or more |
| Other flights over 3,500 km | 4 hours or more |
Food and refreshments must be appropriate to the wait. Two calls or emails are included. When an overnight stay becomes necessary, the airline must provide accommodation and transport between the airport and accommodation. Cancellation and involuntary denied boarding have care rights too.
Ask for help first, then keep evidence
Ask the airline desk or customer service for vouchers, a hotel and transfers. If assistance is not provided, keep purchases reasonable and retain full itemised receipts. Record what you requested and the airline’s reply.
A taxi home, a replacement flight or a lost holiday is not automatically an Article 9 hotel-transfer expense. Refunds, rerouting and other losses need separate assessment. Care while waiting for rerouting differs from choosing a refund and ending your journey.
Weather does not remove the duty of care
The airline may have a defence against fixed compensation for severe weather or air traffic restrictions, but it still owes applicable care. The expenses schedule does not certify eligibility or guarantee repayment.
Submit the schedule to the operating airline
Attach the letter, receipts, booking confirmation and a short explanation of the disruption to the airline’s expenses form. Keep a copy of everything. If unresolved, use the complaint escalation guide. You can also check statutory compensation separately.
Official sources
Reviewed 18 October 2026. General guidance, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim meals and a hotel when bad weather causes the delay?
Yes, if the journey is covered and care is due. Extraordinary circumstances can exclude statutory compensation but do not remove the airline’s duty of care. Request assistance first and keep receipts for reasonable necessary costs if it is not provided.
Are expenses included in the £520 or €600 compensation?
No. Reasonable duty-of-care expenses are assessed separately from fixed statutory compensation. Do not add different receipt currencies together or claim an item already paid by the airline or insurer.
Is there a fixed meal or hotel allowance?
There is no universal fixed cash allowance in Article 9. Costs must be reasonable, necessary and proportionate to the waiting time. Avoid alcohol, luxury stays and expensive meals.
Can I upload my receipts here?
No. This tool prepares a schedule and letter on your device. Attach receipts yourself when submitting the request to the airline.