Delayed vs cancelled vs bumped: what changes

Published 16 October 2026 · Self-help information, not legal advice

Passengers often describe all three as “my flight was a mess,” but the legal path changes a lot depending on whether it was a delay, a cancellation, or denied boarding.

This page compares those categories directly so you can file the right claim on day one.

“My flight was delayed 11 hours. What are my rights here?”

A delay claim usually turns on:

final arrival delay,
route + carrier scope,
cause category under the regime,
distance band (EU/UK) or airline-size/delay band (APPR).

EU261/UK261 amount architecture is in Article 7 (EU261 (opens in a new tab), UK261 (opens in a new tab)); APPR delay compensation amounts are in section 19 (APPR section 19 (opens in a new tab)).

Delay: core rule differences

EU261 / UK261

Fixed amounts by distance bands under Article 7 structures.
Delay compensation is due when you arrive 3 hours or more late at your final destination (CJEU Sturgeon (opens in a new tab)). For EU261, Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 changes this to more than 3 hours for flights from 23 October 2027; UK261 is not affected.
A 50% reduction applies when a re-routed passenger arrives within 2, 3 or 4 hours of schedule depending on the band, and to a plain delay only on the top band when you arrive no more than 4 hours late (EU261 Article 7(2) (opens in a new tab), UK261 retained text (opens in a new tab)).

Amounts used in DIY claims:

EU: €250 / €400 / €600 (EU261 Article 7(1) (opens in a new tab)).
UK: £220 / £350 / £520 in retained UK framework usage (UK261 retained text (opens in a new tab)).

Canada APPR

Delay compensation under section 19 (within control and not required for safety):

Large carrier: C$400 / C$700 / C$1,000.
Small carrier: C$125 / C$250 / C$500.
The bands are 3 to 6 hours, 6 to 9 hours, and 9 hours or more late at your destination.

(APPR section 19 (opens in a new tab))

Cancellation: notice and replacement matter

Under EU261/UK261, cancellation compensation outcomes can depend on notice timing and replacement flight timing windows in Article 5(1)(c) structures (EU261 Article 5 (opens in a new tab), UK261 retained text (opens in a new tab)).

Under APPR, a cancellation within the airline's control and not required for safety earns compensation only if you were told 14 days or less before departure; the amount then follows the same arrival-delay bands (APPR section 19 (opens in a new tab)).

Do not file a cancellation claim with only “flight was cancelled.” Include:

when you were informed,
what replacement was offered,
final arrival delay,
whether you took refund instead.

“I was put on a different flight and arrived 2h24 late — am I entitled?”

Under EU261 and UK261 it depends on when you were told (EU261 Article 5(1)(c) (opens in a new tab)):

Told less than 7 days before departure: the airline is exempt only if the new flight left no more than 1 hour early and arrived less than 2 hours late. At 2h24 late you are owed compensation unless extraordinary circumstances apply. It can be halved on flights over 1,500 km if you arrived within 3 hours (4 hours on flights over 3,500 km) (EU261 Article 7(2) (opens in a new tab)).
Told 7 to 13 days before: the airline is exempt if the new flight left no more than 2 hours early and arrived less than 4 hours late, so 2h24 late is not enough.
Told 14 days or more before: no compensation.

Use checker with actual replacement times entered.

Denied boarding (“bumped”): separate from delay/cancellation

Denied boarding usually has its own table and trigger architecture:

EU/UK: denied boarding rights and compensation framework in Article 4 + Article 7 systems (EU261 Articles 4 and 7 (opens in a new tab), UK261 retained text (opens in a new tab)).
APPR: C$900 if you arrive less than 6 hours late, C$1,800 for 6 to 9 hours, C$2,400 for 9 hours or more, in section 20 (APPR section 20 (opens in a new tab)).
US: 200% up to $1,075 and 400% up to $2,150 in specified circumstances under 14 CFR 250.5 (14 CFR 250.5 (opens in a new tab)).

This is why “bumped” claims can pay more than ordinary delay claims under some frameworks.

US routes: refund and bumping are the practical focus

For US federal sources in this toolkit:

denied boarding compensation = Part 250,
cancellation/significant change refund obligations = Part 260.

(14 CFR Part 250 (opens in a new tab), 14 CFR Part 260 (opens in a new tab))

There is no broad federal delay-pay table in these parts like EU/APPR structures.

Side-by-side quick table

Delay

EU: €250/€400/€600, conditions apply.
UK: £220/£350/£520, conditions apply.
APPR: C$400/700/1,000 large; C$125/250/500 small.
US: no general delay cash scheme in cited parts.

Cancellation

EU/UK: notice + replacement timing + cause framework matters.
APPR: section 19 category + delay outcome structure.
US: refunds under Part 260 for cancellation/significant change contexts.

Denied boarding

EU/UK: separate compensation right.
APPR: C$900/1,800/2,400.
US: 200% up to $1,075; 400% up to $2,150.

Filing correctly by event type

When you submit, use the event label the regulation uses:

“delay claim,”
“cancellation claim,”
“denied boarding claim.”

Mixing labels makes it harder for the airline to apply the right rule, and easier to refuse.

“Can I ask for the full C$2,400?”

If your issue is APPR denied boarding, the full C$2,400 applies when you reach your destination 9 hours or more late (APPR section 20 (opens in a new tab)).

If your issue is US denied boarding, amount depends on fare and delay thresholds in 14 CFR 250.5 (14 CFR 250.5 (opens in a new tab)).

So yes, ask for the exact bracket you meet, with timing proof.

What to do next

Identify event type first.
Run checker.
Open corresponding regime page: EU261, UK261, APPR, or US guide.
Submit with letter template.

Getting the event type right means the airline is answering the claim you actually have.

Self-help information and templates only; this is self-help, not legal advice.

Not sure what you are owed? The free checker applies these rules to your flight in about two minutes and shows the amount and your deadline.

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Related guides

This article is self-help information, not legal advice. It explains published rules so you can claim yourself; check the sources below and your own booking before relying on it.