Short-haul air passengers who are delayed by more than three hours can expect to be compensated after airlines lost a legal fight in the European court today.
A number of airlines, including British Airways and easyJet, had challenged a 2009 ruling that passengers on flights to and from Europe should be compensated if they are delayed for more than three hours.
Today the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg confirmed the 2009 ruling after the airlines had challenged the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over the matter.

‘Today’s judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union offers much needed clarity for passengers, the airline industry and the CAA about when compensation must be paid following delays.’
A British Airways spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the ruling and will continue to comply with the regulations.’
Travel company Tui, which was involved in the legal challenge, said: ‘We note today’s ruling by the ECJ.
‘We are committed to treating our customers fairly and will continue to work with the European institutions to ensure that the underlying legislation is revised such that it strikes the right balance for passengers and airlines.’
An easyJet spokesman said: ‘We are disappointed with the outcome but we are pleased we have final clarification and certainty on this issue. We will do everything we can to ensure our passengers do not have delays. Our priority is to look after our passengers.’