Zurich to London flight compensation
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Respuesta rápida
Zurich to London is about 788 km, so compensation is €250 per passenger under Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland for delays of three hours or more, short-notice cancellations and denied boarding, on any airline. The airline can only refuse by proving extraordinary circumstances; the return direction has its own rules.
Distancia ortodrómica
788 km
Zurich Airport (ZRH) → London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Tramo de indemnización: Hasta 1.500 km
Indemnización fija
250 €
250 € por pasajero
Normas aplicables: Derechos de los pasajeros en Suiza (Regl. 261/2004 vía acuerdo UE–CH)
Ejemplo
Un pasajero que llegue con 3+ horas de retraso a London en un vuelo cubierto podría reclamar 250 € por pasajero.
Si el vuelo se cancela con menos de 14 días de antelación sin una alternativa cercana, se aplica el mismo importe de 250 €.
- SWISScovered on this direction· Swiss licence
- British Airwayscovered on this direction· UK licence· CEDR Aviation
Salida desde Zurich Airport
Zurich has a night curfew and a runway layout that forces a different configuration in fog and strong winds, so late-evening departures are the most likely to be cancelled outright. Skyguide capacity limits are external to the airline; SWISS crew and technical problems are not.
Zurich is SWISS's hub: on a single booking a delayed feeder into Zurich that loses the long-haul connection is assessed over the whole journey, from the first departure airport to the final destination.
Direction matters
- Zurich → London
- Derechos de los pasajeros en Suiza (Regl. 261/2004 vía acuerdo UE–CH) · 250 € · any airline
- London → Zurich
- UK261 (derechos de los pasajeros en el Reino Unido) · 220 GBP · any airline
Qué cambia en el vuelo de vuelta
| Normas aplicables | Derechos de los pasajeros en Suiza (Regl. 261/2004 vía acuerdo UE–CH) | UK261 (derechos de los pasajeros en el Reino Unido) |
|---|---|---|
| Compensación fija | 250 € | 220 GBP |
| Organismo de control | Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL) | UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) |
| Sistema de resolución de litigios | sin sistema nacional | AviationADR |
| Plazo para reclamar judicialmente | 2 years | 6 years |
| Juzgado | Civil court (simplified procedure) after the conciliation authority | County court — Money Claim Online (small claims track) |
The two directions are governed by different rules: the departure country decides which regime applies, and a flight from outside Europe is only covered when the operating airline is licensed in the EU/EEA, the UK or Switzerland.
Retraso, cancelación o conexión perdida en este sentido
- Retrasado
- Corresponden 250 € por pasajero cuando al menos una puerta se abre en London Heathrow Airport tres horas o más después de la llegada prevista; el retraso en la salida desde Zurich Airport no cuenta. A partir de 2 horas de retraso la aerolínea debe comida y comunicación sea cual sea la causa, y a partir de 5 horas puede renunciar al viaje y pedir el reembolso.
- Cancelado
- Los mismos 250 € por pasajero corresponden cuando la aerolínea le avisó con menos de 14 días de antelación y no le reubicó dentro de las ventanas legales (como máximo 2 horas antes y menos de 4 horas después con 7–14 días de aviso; 1 hora y 2 horas con menos de 7 días). El reembolso o transporte alternativo y la asistencia mientras espera se deben en todos los casos.
- Conexión perdida
- Si London Heathrow Airport no es su destino final y ambos vuelos iban en una misma reserva, el retraso se mide donde termina el viaje y el importe según la distancia desde Zurich Airport hasta ese aeropuerto final (Folkerts, C-11/11), incluso si el vuelo de conexión está fuera de Europa. Con billetes separados cada vuelo se juzga por sí solo, y la conexión perdida no es responsabilidad de la primera aerolínea.
Escalation for this direction
Enforcement body: Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL) (Switzerland)
Court claims: 2 years (Art. 14 of the Air Transport Ordinance (LTrV, SR 748.411), applied to Art. 7 compensation by the Basel-Stadt Appeals Court (BEZ.2016.3, 29 June 2016)). Las demandas se presentan ante el Civil court (simplified procedure) after the conciliation authority.
Direct answer
- Short answer
- Yes — a flight from Zurich to London delayed 3+ hours, cancelled at short notice or overbooked can be worth 250 € per passenger, on any airline.
- Amount
- 250 €250 € por pasajero · 788 km
- Why
- The distance is 788 km (Hasta 1.500 km) and the flight falls under Derechos de los pasajeros en Suiza (Regl. 261/2004 vía acuerdo UE–CH); the fixed amount depends only on the distance band.
- What can change it
- The airline proves extraordinary circumstances (weather, ATC, security) that it could not avoid.
- Arrival delay under 3 hours at the final destination.
- Cancellation announced 14+ days ahead, or re-routing within the legal windows.
- Check your flight
- Comprobar la compensación en esta ruta
- Official source
- Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (signed 21 June 1999) — European Community / Swiss ConfederationLast checked against the source on 12 de septiembre de 2026
¿Qué pasa si mi vuelo Zurich → London se retrasa o se cancela?
las normas suizas (Regl. 261/2004) se aplica a todas las aerolíneas en esta ruta: 250 € por pasajero por un retraso en la llegada de 3 horas o más, una cancelación anunciada con menos de 14 días o una denegación de embarque, salvo que la aerolínea pruebe una circunstancia extraordinaria. El reembolso, el transporte alternativo y la asistencia se deben sea cual sea la causa.
¿Se aplica a su vuelo?
¿Comprueba un vuelo Zurich → London?
Unas pocas preguntas breves; todavía no hace falta el número de vuelo. Obtiene un resultado preliminar sobre los hechos que indique; la comprobación completa lo confirma a partir del itinerario.
Ya conocido por esta página
- Zurich (ZRH) → London (LHR)
¿Qué pasó con su vuelo?
Which rules apply on this direction
Flights from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) depart Switzerland, so Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland applies to every airline that operates the route. The great-circle distance is 788 km (up to 1,500 km), which puts the fixed compensation at €250 per passenger for a delay of three hours or more at arrival, a cancellation announced less than 14 days ahead without a close replacement, or involuntary denied boarding.
Whatever the cause, care starts earlier than compensation on this short-distance flight: after 2 hours of delay at Zurich Airport the airline owes meals and communication, and after 5 hours you may abandon the trip and demand a refund of the unused ticket.
Airlines on the route and whether they are covered
-
SWISS (LX, Swiss licence): covered on this direction (CH261 applies to every airline departing Switzerland).
-
British Airways (BA, UK licence): covered on this direction (CH261 applies to every airline departing Switzerland). Member of CEDR Aviation.
Departing from Zurich Airport
Zurich has a night curfew and a runway layout that forces a different configuration in fog and strong winds, so late-evening departures are the most likely to be cancelled outright. Skyguide capacity limits are external to the airline; SWISS crew and technical problems are not.
Zurich is SWISS’s hub: on a single booking a delayed feeder into Zurich that loses the long-haul connection is assessed over the whole journey, from the first departure airport to the final destination.
Airport guides: Zurich Airport · London Heathrow Airport — the causes airlines cite at each end, the enforcement body, and the other routes with their own page.
Return direction
The return, London → Zurich, departs the United Kingdom, so it falls under UK261 (retained Regulation 261/2004) on every airline instead of Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland: £220 per passenger.
The two directions are paid in different currencies: euros on this leg, pounds on the return.
Escalation also moves to the United Kingdom: complaints go to UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) (United Kingdom) rather than Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL); the dispute-resolution scheme is AviationADR; the limitation period for a court claim is 6 years instead of 2 years; a court claim is brought before the County court — Money Claim Online (small claims track).
Where to escalate
Claim from the airline first. If it refuses or does not answer, the competent enforcement body for this direction is Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL) (Switzerland). FOCA handles complaints administratively; it cannot award compensation. Civil claims go to the ordinary courts.
Court claims in Switzerland are subject to a limitation period of 2 years (Art. 14 of the Air Transport Ordinance (LTrV, SR 748.411), applied to Art. 7 compensation by the Basel-Stadt Appeals Court (BEZ.2016.3, 29 June 2016), case law).
A court claim goes to the Civil court (simplified procedure) after the conciliation authority. Conciliation authority first (Schlichtungsbehörde / autorité de conciliation), then the civil court in the simplified procedure.
About this route
Zurich–Heathrow is operated by SWISS and British Airways. From Zurich the Swiss application of the Regulation covers every airline (delay compensation is interpretation-dependent for Swiss courts); the London return is UK261 for both.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is a delayed or cancelled flight from Zurich to London covered by Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland?
Yes, on any airline: the flight departs from Switzerland, so Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland applies whatever the carrier's nationality. Whether compensation is due then depends on the disruption — an arrival delay of three hours or more, a cancellation announced less than 14 days ahead, or denied boarding — and on the cause.
How much compensation for a delayed or cancelled Zurich to London flight?
250 € per passenger for a 788 km flight, if the disruption qualifies and no extraordinary circumstance is proven. It is the same for every fare and does not depend on the ticket price; a re-routing that gets you there within the Article 7(2) time limits can halve it.
What if the airline rejects my claim for a Zurich to London flight?
Reply once in writing asking for the facts behind the refusal, then escalate outside the airline. SWISS, British Airways: no ADR scheme on file for this country — complain to the enforcement body instead. The enforcement body is Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL). Court claims must be brought within the limitation period of Switzerland: 2 years.
Do the same rules apply on the way back, from London to Zurich?
Not entirely. On the return flight the regime changes to UK261; the competent enforcement body is UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); the court deadline follows the other country. Each direction is judged on its own departure.
Fuentes
- European Community / Swiss ConfederationAgreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (signed 21 June 1999)
- Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL)Air passenger rights — scope, how to refer a case to FOCA, questions and answers
- Court of Justice of the European UnionCase C-559/16 Bossen v Brussels Airlines — the distance is the great-circle distance between the first departure and the final destination
- European Parliament and CouncilRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights
Última revisión legal: 14 de septiembre de 2026 · Contenido actualizado: 14 de septiembre de 2026
Comprobar la compensación en esta ruta.
Indique la fecha y la aerolínea; la comprobación aplica la distancia Zurich → London y el régimen que rige este sentido.