British Airways is the UK flag carrier operating a massive global network from its hubs at London Heathrow (LHR) and London Gatwick (LGW). Despite its full-service reputation, BA passengers frequently face severe disruptions due to IT outages, pilot and ground handler shortages, and tight turnaround schedules.
Following Brexit, the UK government enacted 'UK261', which mirrors European Regulation 261/2004 almost word-for-word. Under UK261 and EU261, passengers whose British Airways flights are delayed by 3+ hours or cancelled with short notice are entitled to fixed statutory compensation: £220 (€250) for short flights, £350 (€400) for medium flights, and £520 (€600) for long-haul routes.
British Airways frequently invokes 'operational constraints' or air traffic congestion. However, landmark British legal rulings (including Jet2 v Huzar and Lipton v BA Cityflyer) confirm that pilot sickness, staff absences, and internal IT crashes are strictly the airline's operational responsibility.
With FixMyRights, you can calculate the exact statutory compensation British Airways owes you and generate a pre-drafted legal notice that quotes UK261 / EU261 and ECJ case law directly to BA Legal and Customer Relations.