PLAY 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 PLAY flights are covered
PLAY is registered in Iceland, 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 PLAY is an EU carrier.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.
Worked examples on PLAY routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík (KEF) → Paris (CDG) | 2,241 km | EU261 | €400 |
| Reykjavík (KEF) → Barcelona (BCN) | 2,981 km | EU261 | €400 |
| Reykjavík (KEF) → Rome (FCO) | 3,319 km | EU261 | €400 |
| Reykjavík (KEF) → Amsterdam (AMS) | 2,038 km | EU261 | €400 |
What PLAY 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 PLAY
Iceland is in the EEA, so departures from Keflavík are covered and PLAY counts as an EU carrier for the arrival rule.
A small fleet on a transatlantic connecting model means a single technical fault can strand a whole day of connections. The compensation is a fixed sum per passenger regardless of how long the delay ran.
Their connecting itineraries are sold as one booking, which brings missed connections within Folkerts and puts the measurement at the final destination.
A young airline with a small customer-relations team; expect to have to chase.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your PLAY delay appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with PLAY’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.
PLAY delay: common questions
How much can I claim from PLAY 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 PLAY’s routes.
My PLAY 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 PLAY 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 PLAY 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 PLAY claims
- PLAY: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- PLAY: 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).
- PLAY: 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.
- PLAY: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.