Five major airlines are accused of denying compensation to 200,000 delayed passengers, violating EU law. The CAA warns they must comply or face legal action.

American Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines are facing accusations of breaching consumer protection laws by refusing to compensate approximately 200,000 passengers for delayed flights.

The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has warned these airlines that they must provide the required compensation or face legal action. The regulator stated that all five carriers had admitted to withholding payments when delays caused passengers to miss their connecting flights.

Passenger Rights Under EU Law

Under EU regulations, passengers are entitled to compensation if they arrive at their final destination more than three hours late—whether on a direct or connecting flight—unless the delay is due to extraordinary circumstances. These rules apply to all flights departing from an EU airport, regardless of the airline’s nationality or the destination.

Among the accused airlines, Emirates received the highest number of complaints for failing to compensate passengers on connecting flights, according to CAA data.

CAA Calls for Airlines to Prioritize Passengers

The CAA, criticized the airlines for prioritizing their own interests over passenger rights.

“Flight disruptions are always frustrating, but delays that cause missed connections can seriously impact passengers’ travel plans. That’s why clear laws exist to ensure affected travelers are supported and compensated when the airline is responsible,” the CAA stated via its appointed Director.

“It’s disappointing to see some airlines continuing to deny passengers the compensation they are legally entitled to,” he added. The CAA has pledged to take firm action to ensure compliance.

Scale of Flight Delays and Compensation Eligibility

According to data from consumer group “Which?”, between April 2015 and March 2016, nearly 449,000 flights were delayed by at least 15 minutes—almost a quarter of the 1.9 million total flights. Of these, around 10,000 were delayed by three hours or more, making passengers eligible for compensation.

For long-haul flights, passengers may claim £250 if their plane arrives between three and four hours late, and £510 if the delay exceeds four hours.