Holiday complaints and small claims for package travel, flight delays, and accommodation

Each route has its own regulations and time limits. Identify yours first.

Package holiday gone wrong

Significant problems at your hotel, transfers that did not show up, or substantial difference between brochure and reality. The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 make the package organiser liable for everything in the package — even if the failure was the hotel's fault.

Flight delay or cancellation

Flights from a UK airport, or on a UK/EU airline arriving in the UK, are still covered by Regulation EC 261/2004 (assimilated as UK 261 post-Brexit). Compensation of £220–£520 per passenger plus duty of care, depending on distance and length of delay.

Accommodation not as described

A hotel-only or villa booking that was not what was advertised: pool closed, dirty rooms, far from beach, missing facilities. This is a contract claim under the booking T&Cs and (for UK-based traders) the Consumer Rights Act 2015 service standards.

If your operator collapses, ATOL Protection (for flight-inclusive packages) or the Package Travel Regulations insolvency cover should refund you. Claim through the CAA at caa.co.uk for ATOL, or via the operator's trust arrangement.

Holiday complaints and small claims for package travel, flight delays, and accommodation

Four main types of holiday claim

Step-by-step: claiming for a ruined holiday

Flight delay compensation under retained UK 261

"Extraordinary circumstances" (severe weather, security alerts, ATC strikes) defeat the claim — but airline strikes and technical faults usually do not.