EC 261/2004 (€250–€600) UK261 (£220–£520) Montreal Convention (Up to 1,288 SDR / ~$1,700) 100% Private Browser Check

Why Routine Aircraft Technical Problems Are Eligible for EU261 / UK261 Payouts

Airlines frequently reject claims by blaming 'unexpected technical defects.' Under binding Court of Justice precedent, almost all technical and mechanical issues qualify for compensation.

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Select the primary disruption to see the relevant statutory regime.

Key Statutory Rules & Public Aviation Law Summary

Airlines frequently reject claims by blaming 'unexpected technical defects.' Under binding Court of Justice precedent, almost all technical and mechanical issues qualify for compensation.

In Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia (C-549/07) and van der Lans v KLM (C-257/14), the Court of Justice established that resolving technical defects discovered during maintenance or before flight is inherent in the normal exercise of an airline's activity.
Even unexpected premature malfunction of specific aircraft components ('wildcat technical failures') does NOT constitute an extraordinary circumstance under Article 5(3).
Only hidden manufacturing defects revealed by the aircraft manufacturer or aviation safety authority affecting an entire fleet (or sabotage/bird strikes) generally qualify as extraordinary circumstances.
If an airline rejects your claim citing 'technical or operational reasons,' automated claim verification services can cross-check flight logs and force compliance.

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.

Global Statutory Compensation Tiers at a Glance

International air passenger compensation is governed by strict statutory instruments rather than airline goodwill. Depending on your route and operating carrier, the following statutory regimes generally apply:

Statute / Regime	Applicable Flights	Indicative Statutory Tier	Typical Time Limit
EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004	Departing any EU/EEA/Swiss airport (any airline), or arriving in EU/EEA on an EU carrier	€250 (≤1,500 km) €400 (1,500–3,500 km) €600 (>3,500 km)	1 to 5+ years (varies by EU Member State law, e.g., 3 yrs Germany, 5 yrs France/Spain)
UK261 (Retained EU Law)	Departing any UK airport (any airline), or arriving in the UK on a UK/EU carrier	£220 (≤1,500 km) £350 (1,500–3,500 km) £520 (>3,500 km)	Up to 6 years in England, Wales & Northern Ireland (5 years in Scotland)
Montreal Convention 1999	International flights between 135+ signatory countries (including US, UK, EU, SA, UAE, AU, CA)	Up to 1,288 SDR (~€1,600 / ~$1,700 USD / ~£1,350) for baggage; up to 5,346 SDR for proven financial delay damages	7 days (damaged bag notice) 21 days (delayed bag notice) 2 years (court limitation)
Canada APPR & Brazil ANAC 400	Flights to, from, or within Canada (APPR) or Brazil (ANAC 400)	$400–$1,000 CAD (Canada APPR) Material assistance + statutory remedies (Brazil)	1 year (Canada CTA filing) 2–5 years (Brazil)

Public Statutory Guides & Jurisdiction Rules

Browse our library of statutory passenger guides covering specific routes, connecting flight rules, extraordinary circumstances case law, and country-by-country limitation periods:

EU261 Flight Delay Compensation Rules: €250, €400 & €600 TiersHow Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 calculates statutory compensation of €250, €400, or €600 per passenger when a fligh... UK261 Statutory Compensation (£220–£520) & 6-Year Limitation PeriodPublic guide to UK261 retained air passenger rights for flights departing UK airports or operated by UK carriers (B... Montreal Convention Checked Baggage Compensation (Up to 1,288 SDR / ~$1,700)Understanding Articles 17, 22, and 31 of the Montreal Convention 1999 for delayed, lost, or damaged checked luggage... Johannesburg & Cape Town to UK/Europe Flight Delay Rules (€600 / £520)How South African and international passengers flying between OR Tambo (JNB) or Cape Town (CPT) and London, Frankfu... Missed Connecting Flights on a Single Booking Reference (PNR)Why even a 40-minute delay on your first flight can trigger €600 / £520 compensation if you miss a connecting fligh... Why Routine Aircraft Technical Problems Are Eligible for EU261 / UK261 PayoutsAirlines frequently reject claims by blaming 'unexpected technical defects.' Under binding Court of Justice precede... When Do Strikes Qualify for €250–€600 Flight Compensation?Understanding the difference between internal airline pilot/cabin crew strikes (eligible under Krüsemann C-195/17 &... How Long Do You Have to Claim Flight Delay Compensation in Each Country?Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 leaves limitation periods to national law (More v KLM C-139/11). Compare statutory dead... British Airways Delay, Missed Connection & Cancellation Statutory RightsHow UK261 and EC 261/2004 apply to British Airways short-haul and long-haul flights through London Heathrow (LHR) a... Lufthansa Delay, Cancellation & Missed Connection Rights under EC 261/2004Statutory rules for Lufthansa passengers delayed 3+ hours or missing connections at Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC)... KLM (Amsterdam Schiphol) & Air France (Paris CDG) EU261 Compensation RulesHow EC 261/2004 applies to KLM and Air France long-haul and connecting flights through Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and... When Non-EU Airlines (Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Turkish, SAA, Delta) Must Pay €600 / £520Many passengers don't realize that non-EU/non-UK airlines are strictly bound by EC 261/2004 and UK261 whenever the ... Low-Cost Carrier Statutory Rights: Doesn't Matter If Your Ticket Cost €19!Under EC 261/2004 and UK261, statutory compensation (€250–€400 / £220–£350) is fixed by law and does not depend on ... US Domestic & Transatlantic Passenger Rights: US DOT Rules vs EC 261/2004 & Montreal ConventionHow American and international travellers can claim mandatory US DOT automatic cash refunds, Montreal Convention in... Canada APPR Statutory Compensation ($400 to $1,000 CAD) & 1-Year Claim WindowPublic guide to Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations (SOR/2019-150) for flights to, from, and within Canad... Cancelled Flight Compensation Matrix (7–14 Days vs Under 7 Days Notice)When a cancelled flight triggers €250–€600 / £220–£520 compensation in addition to a full ticket refund or reroutin... Involuntary Cabin Class Downgrade Statutory Reimbursement (30%, 50% or 75%)What happens if an airline downgrades you from First, Business, or Premium Economy to a lower cabin class—and why '... Delayed Checked Luggage Rules under the Montreal Convention (Article 17 & 31)Step-by-step statutory rules when your suitcase doesn't arrive on the carousel: filing a PIR at the airport, what r... How to Claim for a Broken or Damaged Suitcase Within the 7-Day Statutory WindowWhy airlines reject damaged luggage claims after 7 days, and how Article 17(2) and Article 31(2) of the Montreal Co... Bumped From an Overbooked Flight? Your Immediate Statutory Cash RightsWhy you should never accept a small airline voucher before checking your statutory Denied Boarding rights (€250–€60... Fluggastrechte bei Flugverspätung ab 3 Stunden & Annullierung (EG 261/2004)Öffentlicher Leitfaden zur EU-Fluggastrechteverordnung (EG) Nr. 261/2004: Wann Ihnen 250 €, 400 € oder 600 € pro Pe... Vos Droits en Cas de Vol Retardé de 3h+, Annulé ou Correspondance Manquée (CE 261/2004)Guide public sur le Règlement européen (CE) n° 261/2004 et la Convention de Montréal : barème de 250 €, 400 € et 60... Derechos del Pasajero Aéreo: Retrasos de 3+ Horas, Cancelaciones y Equipaje (CE 261/2004)Guía pública sobre el Reglamento (CE) 261/2004 y el Convenio de Montreal: cómo reclamar entre 250 € y 600 € por pas... Hoe Suid-Afrikaners tot €600 / £520 (~R12,000) vir Vertraagde Internasionale Vlugte Kan EisOpenbare statutêre gids vir reisigers vanaf Johannesburg (JNB) en Kaapstad (CPT) na Londen, Frankfurt, Amsterdam en...