Key Statutory Rules & Public Aviation Law Summary
How South African and international passengers flying between OR Tambo (JNB) or Cape Town (CPT) and London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Paris qualify for up to €600 / £520 (~R12,000) per person.
- Flights departing London Heathrow/Gatwick, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris CDG, Zurich, or Madrid to South Africa are covered by UK261 or EC 261/2004 regardless of which airline operates the flight (including SAA, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, or Qatar Airways if departing an EU/UK hub).
- Flights departing Johannesburg (JNB) or Cape Town (CPT) to the UK or Europe are covered by UK261 or EC 261/2004 when operated by a UK or EU carrier (such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Swiss, KLM, Air France, or Condor).
- Because all routes between South Africa and Europe/UK exceed 3,500 km (approx. 9,000–9,600 km), qualifying cancellations or arrival delays of 4+ hours fall into the highest statutory tier: €600 or £520 (~R12,000) per passenger.
- For a family of 4 on a single booking, a qualifying 4-hour arrival delay on a covered JNB–LHR or CPT–FRA flight represents up to €2,400 / £2,080 (~R48,000) in statutory compensation.
Related Statutory Passenger Guides:
Public Statutory Information Disclaimer: AeroStatute provides general public educational information regarding Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, UK261, the Montreal Convention 1999, Canada APPR, and US DOT regulations. This tool does not provide formal legal advice or act as a law firm.