A £520 UK261 claim sits in the £500.01–£1,000 fee band, which costs £70 to issue online. You file, the airline is served, and it has a short window to defend. Most flight claims settle before anyone sees a judge. In England and Wales you have six years to start.
Try ADR first, then court
A CAA-approved ADR scheme is free, its decision binds the airline, and you can still go to court afterwards if you reject the outcome. That makes it the cheaper first move for almost every passenger, and the Pre-Action Conduct Practice Direction expects parties to have considered it. Escalate to the regulator covers who takes what.
Court is the better route in three situations: the airline is not in any ADR scheme, the scheme has already refused or excluded your complaint, or the ADR outcome went against you and you disagree with it. It is also the only route that ends in an enforceable judgment against the carrier.
What you file
Start from GOV.UK’s guide, Make a court claim for money, which lets you apply online or by post and links returning users to the online claims service. Money Claim Online, or MCOL, is the name most people still search for; use the GOV.UK entry point rather than a bookmarked URL, because the service address has moved. GOV.UK did not state a value limit for the online route on the page we read on 6 September 2026, so check that on the service itself before you start.
What the claim form needs:
- The defendant. The operating air carrier, with its full legal name and a registered address — take both from the airline’s conditions of carriage, not from the booking confirmation.
- The amount. The fixed sum under Article 7 of the retained Regulation, plus interest, plus the issue fee.
- The particulars of claim. Four short paragraphs: you held a confirmed booking on flight X on date Y; it was delayed or cancelled; you reached your final destination N hours late; Article 7 sets the sum at £Z for that distance band. Attach the boarding passes and the correspondence.
- The pre-action letter. You should already have sent a letter before claim and waited 14 days.
Court fees on 6 September 2026
| Claim value | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| £300.01 to £500 | £50 |
| £500.01 to £1,000 | £70 |
| £1,000.01 to £1,500 | £80 |
| £1,500.01 to £3,000 | £115 |
| £3,000.01 to £5,000 | £205 |
| £5,000.01 to £10,000 | £455 |
| £10,000.01 to £200,000 | 5 % of the claim value |
| More than £200,000 | £10,000 |
The fee is based on the amount claimed plus any interest, and further fees can arise later — for a hearing, or to enforce a judgment. Fees change. Check the current table on GOV.UK on the day you file, and look at Help with Fees if you are on a low income or certain benefits. If you win, the fee is normally recoverable from the airline.
Sue the operating carrier, at the right legal entity. Naming “Ryanair” or “the airline that sold me the ticket” rather than the company that actually flew the aircraft is the most common way a good flight claim dies. The legal name and address are in the conditions of carriage on the airline’s own site — copy them exactly.
After you file
The airline is served and can admit, pay, defend, or ask for more time. A defended small claim is normally offered free telephone mediation before it goes further; if mediation fails the case is allocated, directions are given and a short hearing follows, usually with the passenger and an airline representative and no lawyers. Judgment in default is available if the airline does nothing, and it is not rare.
If you win and the airline still does not pay, enforcement is a separate application with its own fee — GOV.UK’s guide covers the options. Against a large scheduled carrier this is uncommon; against a small or failing one it matters, and if the airline has entered insolvency the route is different: see airline insolvency refunds.
How long do I have to sue an airline in England?
Six years. Section 9 of the Limitation Act 1980 says an action to recover a sum recoverable by virtue of an enactment “shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued”. Scotland is five years, and other countries differ — see time limits by country.
Do I need a solicitor?
No, and on a claim of this size the cost would exceed the money. The small claims track is designed to be used without representation, and recoverable legal costs there are very limited even when you win — which is also why airlines rarely send lawyers.
Can I claim for more than one passenger?
Yes. Each passenger on the booking has their own right under Article 7, and the fee band is set by the total claimed. Name every passenger in the particulars and attach every boarding pass; adults claiming for children on the same booking should say so.