London to Milan flight compensation

Which rules apply on this direction

Flights from London Stansted Airport (STN) to Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY) depart the United Kingdom, so UK261 (retained Regulation 261/2004) applies to every airline that operates the route. The great-circle distance is 978 km (up to 1,500 km), which puts the fixed compensation at £220 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 London Stansted 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

• Ryanair (FR, EU/EEA licence): covered on this direction (UK261 applies to every airline departing the United Kingdom). Member of AviationADR.

Departing from London Stansted Airport

Stansted is Ryanair’s largest base, with several rotations per aircraft per day and no schedule slack, so a delay early in the morning is still being paid for at night. Ryanair typically cites ATC restrictions — ask which restriction, and whether other flights on the route operated normally that day.

Airport guides: London Stansted Airport — the causes airlines cite at each end, the enforcement body, and the other routes with their own page.

Return direction

The return, Milan → London, departs Italy, so it falls under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 (EU261) on every airline instead of UK261 (retained Regulation 261/2004): €250 per passenger.

The two directions are paid in different currencies: pounds on this leg, euros on the return.

Escalation also moves to Italy: complaints go to Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (ENAC) (Italy) rather than UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); there is no country-wide dispute-resolution scheme, only whatever scheme the airline itself belongs to; the limitation period for a court claim is 2 years instead of 6 years; a court claim is brought before the Giudice di Pace / European Small Claims Procedure.

Where to escalate

Claim from the airline first. If it refuses or does not answer, the competent enforcement body for this direction is UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) (United Kingdom). Approved ADR schemes: AviationADR (https://www.aviationadr.org.uk — Ryanair, easyJet, TUI Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air and others) and CEDR (https://www.cedr-assist.com/consumer/aviation/ — British Airways, BA CityFlyer, Cathay Pacific, SAS). Airlines not in a scheme, including Jet2: CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT).

The United Kingdom also has an approved dispute-resolution scheme, AviationADR, whose decisions bind the airline. Free for passengers. Open the case online once the airline has given its final answer or eight weeks have passed without one.

Court claims in the United Kingdom are subject to a limitation period of 6 years (Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 (England and Wales; six years). Scotland: five years under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973.).

A court claim goes to the County court — Money Claim Online (small claims track). Claims up to £10,000 on the small claims track; court fee recoverable if you win.

About this route

Stansted–Milan Bergamo is a core Ryanair route with several rotations a day, so an early delay propagates through the afternoon and evening. Ryanair typically cites ATC restrictions; ask for the specific restriction and whether other flights on the route operated normally that day. The aircraft may be flown by Malta Air or Ryanair UK, which changes nothing for departures from Stansted or Bergamo (both are covered by the departure state) but matters for the paperwork.