When a flight runs late or is cancelled, two separate things need sorting: what the airline owes you, and how you get home once you finally land. The first is set by UK law, known as UK261. The second depends on whether your driver is working to the timetable or to the aircraft. This guide covers both, using the Civil Aviation Authority's own figures, so you know what to ask for at the gate and what happens with your car in the meantime.
- Give us your flight number and the pickup follows the real landing time, not the printed one.
- Under UK261 the airline must feed and, if needed, house you once a delay passes two, three or four hours, depending on distance.
- Compensation of £220 to £520 per person applies only when you arrive over three hours late for reasons within the airline's control.
- A cancellation means choosing between a refund and a replacement flight; tell us the new flight and the collection moves with it.
What happens to my pickup if my flight lands late?
Nothing that you need to arrange. When you book an airport collection with us, the flight number goes on the job and we track that flight in real time, so the driver sets off for the landing that is actually happening. A plane due at 18:10 that touches down at 20:40 is met at around 20:40. There is no extra charge for the airline's delay, because our fares are fixed when you book and a late aircraft does not change the job.
International arrivals also include a free waiting period for passport control and the baggage belt, as set out in our terms and conditions. On a delayed evening arrival at Heathrow those queues can be longer than usual, as several late flights land together, and that is exactly the situation the allowance exists for. The driver meets you in the arrivals hall; our meet-and-greet explainer shows how that part works.
What if my flight is diverted to a different airport?
Call us on 01753 858585 or WhatsApp +44 7902 004992 as soon as the crew announces where you are landing. A diversion changes the collection point, and a fixed fare is quoted per journey, so a pickup at Gatwick or Stansted instead of Heathrow is a different fare from the one you booked. If the airline instead arranges onward transport back to the original airport, the booking can stay as it is and the driver simply works to your new arrival time.
What does the airline have to do while I wait?
UK261 applies to every flight leaving a UK airport, and to flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline. Under it, the airline owes you care once your departure is delayed by a set amount, whatever caused the delay. The CAA's delay guidance sets three thresholds:
- at least two hours for flights under 1,500km, such as Glasgow to Amsterdam;
- at least three hours for flights between 1,500km and 3,500km, such as East Midlands to Marrakesh;
- at least four hours for flights over 3,500km, such as London to New York.
Care means food and drink in proportion to the wait (usually a voucher), two phone calls or emails, and a hotel plus transport to it if the delay runs overnight. If the airline cannot organise any of this, you can buy reasonable meals or a room yourself and claim the cost back, so ask for itemised receipts. Alcohol and luxury hotels are unlikely to be refunded.
One detail matters for anyone flying from Heathrow and living in South Bucks. The CAA notes that if you live close to the airport, the airline may reimburse your travel to and from home instead of providing a hotel. From Gerrards Cross the drive to Heathrow is around 20–35 minutes, so a night in your own bed is realistic. Check with the airline first, then keep the booking confirmation and proof of payment for the journey.
When can I claim UK261 compensation?
Compensation is a separate, fixed payment on top of care, and it depends on how late you arrive, not how late you leave. You need to reach your destination more than three hours behind schedule, and the cause must be within the airline's control. The amounts are per person and do not depend on the price of the ticket:
| Flight distance | Arrival delay | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500km | More than 3 hours | £220 |
| 1,500km to 3,500km | More than 3 hours | £350 |
| Over 3,500km | 3 to 4 hours | £260 |
| Over 3,500km | More than 4 hours | £520 |
Nothing is paid automatically. You claim from the airline, and if it rejects the claim or takes more than eight weeks to reply, you can escalate to the airline's alternative dispute resolution scheme or, if it has none, to the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team. If a delay reaches five hours you can also choose not to fly and take a refund for the unused flights.
Does the September 2026 NATS failure count?
Probably not for compensation. On Tuesday 8 September 2026 a technical problem with the flight planning system at NATS, the UK's air traffic control provider, led to hundreds of UK flights being delayed or cancelled. In its statement on the outage, the CAA said delays caused by the fault, and by its knock-on effects, are likely to count as extraordinary circumstances, so compensation is unlikely. The airline's duty of care still applies in full, and the CAA expects airlines to reimburse reasonable costs promptly where they could not arrange meals or hotels themselves. Severe weather and air traffic control strikes are treated the same way.
My flight was cancelled: what are my options?
You choose, not the airline. According to the CAA's cancellation page, you can take a full refund for the unused parts of the booking, or an alternative flight either as soon as possible or on a later date that suits you. If another airline, or another way of travelling, would get you there significantly sooner, you can ask to be rebooked on that. Care applies until you are actually flown. Compensation is possible when you were told less than 14 days before departure, and again it falls away for extraordinary circumstances.
For your transfer, the rule is simple: send us the new flight number and date once you have them. If you are stuck abroad and the new flight lands two days later, the collection moves to that flight. If the cancellation happens at the UK end before you have left home, let us know as early as you can so the outbound car is not sent to the terminal.
How do I cut the risk on the way out?
Check the airline's app before the car arrives, not only the night before, because rolling delays are often posted early in the morning. If the departure has slipped by several hours, call us and we can move the pickup rather than leave you sitting airside. If the airline says the flight is still on time, travel as planned: the check-in deadline does not move until the airline says it has. Our guide to when to leave for the airport from South Bucks sets out realistic buffers, and the winter travel guide covers snow and fog days.
For a full picture of how our Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted runs work, including fleet sizes for families with luggage, see the airport transfers page, or get a fixed quote on the booking page.