Guide
Extraordinary circumstances explained
Airlines do not have to pay compensation when the cause was an extraordinary circumstance. What the CAA lists, what courts have said, and what the airline must explain.
We are not lawyers. This is legal information, not legal advice, and we are not liable for how you use it. Official sources and the decisions of regulators and courts come first. Read the disclaimer.
The short version
According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, an airline does not have to pay compensation when the delay or cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. Care while you wait is still owed. Which causes count is narrower than many people expect.
What the CAA says is likely to qualify
According to the CAA, the main categories likely to qualify are:
- weather incompatible with safe flying
- strikes unrelated to the airline
- terrorism or sabotage
- security risks
- political or civil unrest
- hidden manufacturing defects
Technical faults
According to the CAA, UK and EU court rulings have generally not treated ordinary technical faults as extraordinary circumstances. A fault that comes from a hidden manufacturing defect is the kind of case the CAA lists as likely to qualify.
The airline has to explain
According to the CAA, if you are unsure whether the cause qualifies, you can still make a claim, and the airline should explain the reason it relies on. This is why the first wording in our flight claim guide asks the airline to state the reason in writing.
Care is owed whatever the cause
According to the CAA, you should receive food and drink, two calls or emails, and accommodation if delayed overnight regardless of the reason for the delay. Your Europe also lists assistance as a right on EU flights.
Other rule sets
According to Your Europe, EU rules give no compensation if a flight is delayed or cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances. According to the Canadian Transportation Agency, Canadian compensation applies only when the cause is fully within the airline's control and not required for safety.
An example
Our article on the 8 September 2026 NATS disruption covers a case where the CAA said the cause was likely to count as extraordinary circumstances.
Sources.
Checked 02 Oct 2026. Where we could only find press reports, the text says so.
More articles.
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