Ethiopian Airlines delay compensation
Compensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time. It is the arrival that counts, not the departure: a flight that leaves four hours late but makes up time and lands 2 hours 50 minutes late is not covered.
Which Ethiopian Airlines flights are covered
Ethiopian Airlines is registered in Ethiopia — outside the EU and UK — so only flights leaving Europe are covered.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Flying into the UK or EU from Ethiopia or elsewhere: not covered by either, because Ethiopian Airlines is not a UK or EU carrier.
- That means a return trip is usually half-protected: the outbound from Europe counts, the flight home does not.
Worked examples on Ethiopian Airlines routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → Addis Ababa (ADD) | 5,920 km | UK261 | £520 |
| Addis Ababa (ADD) → London (LHR) | 5,920 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → Addis Ababa (ADD) | 5,581 km | EU261 | €600 |
| Addis Ababa (ADD) → Paris (CDG) | 5,581 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because Ethiopian Airlines is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What Ethiopian Airlines is likely to say — and the answer
“Extraordinary circumstances” with no detail — ask which circumstance, and for the evidence.
“A technical problem” — not an extraordinary circumstance, and settled by the Court of Justice.
“The inbound aircraft arrived late” — a knock-on delay only counts if the original cause was itself extraordinary.
A disputed arrival time — ask for their recorded on-blocks time and compare it with yours.
Specific to Ethiopian Airlines
Not an EU or UK carrier, so only the departure from a European airport is covered — Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris, Rome, Madrid, London and Stockholm all qualify on the southbound leg.
Addis Ababa is the largest connecting hub in Africa, and single-booking itineraries onward across the continent are measured at the final destination — usually the top band.
Europe to Addis is over 3,500 km, so £520 or €600 on the covered direction.
Correspondence can be slow and it helps to lead with the flight number, date and booking reference on the first line.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Ethiopian Airlines delay appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Ethiopian Airlines’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Ethiopian Airlines delay: common questions
How much can I claim from Ethiopian Airlines for a delay?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Ethiopian Airlines’s routes.
My Ethiopian Airlines flight left more than three hours late but landed less than three hours late. Can I claim?
No. The test is how late you arrive at your final destination. If the flight made up time and landed under three hours late, the fixed compensation does not apply — though you may still have been owed meals and refreshments during the wait.
What reasons does Ethiopian Airlines give for refusing delay claims?
The most common are: Extraordinary circumstances with no detail; A technical problem; The inbound aircraft arrived late; A disputed arrival time. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Ethiopian Airlines delay claim?
It depends on where you bring the claim, usually where the flight departed or arrived. Six years in England and Wales; two to five years in most EU countries.
Other Ethiopian Airlines claims
- Ethiopian Airlines: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Ethiopian Airlines: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Ethiopian Airlines: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Ethiopian Airlines: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.