Delayed

Finnair cancellation compensation

Compensation 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). You are also entitled to choose between a full refund and a replacement flight, whatever the notice.

Which Finnair flights are covered

Finnair is registered in Finland, so it counts as an EU carrier and its flights are covered in both directions.

  • Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
  • Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
  • Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: covered by EU261, because Finnair is an EU carrier.
  • Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.

Worked examples on Finnair routes

Computed by our rules engine, assuming cancelled with 3 days’ notice, not re-routed.
RouteDistanceRulesPer passenger
Helsinki (HEL) → Paris (CDG)1,896 kmEU261€400
Helsinki (HEL) → Barcelona (BCN)2,628 kmEU261€400
Helsinki (HEL) → Rome (FCO)2,234 kmEU261€400
Helsinki (HEL) → Amsterdam (AMS)1,521 kmEU261€400

What Finnair is likely to say — and the answer

  • “You were offered an alternative flight” — only relevant if it fell inside the Article 5 windows. Check the departure and arrival times.

  • “We told you in advance” — the question is whether it was 14 days or more, counted from when you were actually informed.

  • “Operational reasons” — not a category in the Regulation.

  • A voucher offered instead of money — you are entitled to be paid in money.

Specific to Finnair

  • Helsinki is built as a connecting hub between Europe and Asia, so missed connections on a single booking are a large share of Finnair claims — and the measurement point is Tokyo or Singapore, not Helsinki.

  • Their Asian routes are well over 3,500 km and not intra-EU, so €600 applies.

  • Finnair is generally among the more responsive European carriers and often answers inside five weeks with a specific reason.

  • Finland allows three years to claim, and Traficom is the enforcement body.

Time limit: Finnair is based in Finland, where claims run for 3 years from the date of the flight. How that works

Check it free, then send the letter yourself.

If your Finnair cancellation appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Finnair’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.

Finnair cancellation: common questions

How much can I claim from Finnair for a cancellation?

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 Finnair’s routes.

Finnair cancelled my flight and put me on another one. Can I still claim?

Possibly. If you were told less than 14 days before, the airline only escapes compensation if the replacement fell inside strict windows — for example, with under 7 days’ notice, departing no more than an hour early and arriving less than two hours late. Outside those windows, compensation is due, although it can be halved if you arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance.

What reasons does Finnair give for refusing cancellation claims?

The most common are: You were offered an alternative flight; We told you in advance; Operational reasons; A voucher offered instead of money. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.

How long do I have to make a Finnair cancellation claim?

Where Finnair is based, the limit is 3 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.

Other Finnair claims