Had a Wizz Air flight delayed or cancelled? Here is how to claim.
This guide explains who Wizz Air is, how they usually answer claims, what your rights are, and how to send Wizz Air a proper letter by Royal Mail.
About Wizz Air
Wizz Air is a Hungarian budget airline. It is the biggest "ultra-low-cost" airline in Central and Eastern Europe. The bright pink and purple planes are a common sight at UK airports, especially London Luton. Wizz was started in 2003 by József Váradi, who is still the CEO today. The fleet is mostly Airbus A321neo planes, with over 250 aircraft as of 2026.
The UK arm of the group is Wizz Air UK Limited. It is based at Percival House at London Luton Airport. The parent company is Wizz Air Holdings plc, which is registered in Jersey and listed on the London Stock Exchange. Wizz Air Holdings is part of the FTSE 250. The group also includes Wizz Air Hungary (the original carrier) and Wizz Air Malta. A separate joint venture, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, closed in September 2025.
Wizz Air has had a rough few years for customer service in the UK. In 2024 they were named the WORST UK airline for flight delays for the third year in a row. The UK regulator (the CAA) took formal action against Wizz Air in 2023 over how they were handling UK261 claims. This is rare for a UK airline. It means Wizz Air passengers actually have some EXTRA rights that customers of other airlines do not have, explained further down this page.
Registered office
Wizz Air UK LimitedPercival House, 134 Percival Way, London Luton Airport Roundabout
Luton, Bedfordshire
LU2 9NU
United Kingdom
Companies House number: 10982241 · Incorporated: 26 September 2017 · Parent company: Wizz Air Holdings plc (registered in Jersey, LSE ticker WIZZ) · Regulator: UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) · IATA / ICAO codes: W9 / WUK (Wizz Air UK); W6 / WZZ (Wizz Air Hungary)
Group structure
Wizz Air Holdings plc (parent company)
This is the holding company that owns all the Wizz Air airlines. It is registered in Saint Helier, Jersey, but the actual head office and CEO are in Budapest, Hungary. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ and is part of the FTSE 250. Founded in 2003. The current CEO is József Váradi, who has run the group from day one.
Registered in Jersey. LSE ticker WIZZ.Wizz Air UK Limited
This is the UK arm and the one you can serve a legal letter on in England. It holds a UK flying licence from the CAA and runs flights from UK airports to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It is based at Luton, which is also Wizz Air's biggest UK base.
Companies House 10982241. UK callsign WUK.Wizz Air Hungary Ltd
This is the original Hungarian operating carrier. It still flies many of the routes you book on wizzair.com. Your flight could be flown by Wizz Air UK or Wizz Air Hungary, depending on the route. The aircraft will have a different country code on its registration: G- for UK planes, HA- for Hungarian.
Hungarian AOC. IATA code W6.Wizz Air Malta and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi
Wizz Air Malta is a Maltese-licensed sister airline that runs some EU routes. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi government that ran flights from the UAE, but it closed down on 1 September 2025. If your UK flight booking is operated by Wizz Air Malta, your UK261 rights are the same.
What a Wizz Air reply usually looks like
- 1An automated email saying Wizz Air has got your claim through their online form. This usually arrives within a day.
- 2A long wait. Wizz Air has been criticised by the CAA for slow claim processing. Under a 2023 commitment to the CAA, Wizz Air now aims to resolve customer claims within 45 days, but this is not always met in practice.
- 3A rejection if Wizz Air thinks the delay was "extraordinary circumstances". The reasons given are often vague. The CAA found in 2023 that Wizz Air had been wrongly rejecting some valid claims.
- 4An offer of a Wizz Air voucher instead of cash. You do not have to take a voucher. Cash is what the law gives you.
- 5Silence. Many Wizz Air claims simply go unanswered for months. After 8 weeks with no proper reply, you can escalate to AviationADR.
- 6A late payment, even after court judgment in some cases. Wizz Air has had a documented problem with unpaid County Court Judgments (CCJs), which is one of the reasons the CAA stepped in.
How much can you claim from Wizz Air under UK261?
Compensation amounts are fixed by flight distance and apply to delays of three hours or more at the final destination, cancellations with less than 14 days' notice, and denied boarding. The flight distance is the “great circle distance” between the departure and arrival airports, not the route flown.
| Flight distance | Delay length | Amount per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km (e.g. London to Dublin) | 3 hours or more | £220 |
| 1,500 km to 3,500 km (e.g. London to Athens) | 3 hours or more | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km (e.g. London to New York) | 3 to 4 hours | £260 |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours or more | £520 |
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority, UK261 compensation guidance.
Your rights
UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 5 (cancellations)
Did Wizz Air cancel your flight less than 14 days before take-off? You have two choices. Get your money back. Or ask Wizz Air to put you on a different flight. The choice is yours, not theirs. On top of that, you can usually get cash too. How much cash depends on how far you were flying.
UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 6 and the Sturgeon ruling
What if your flight was just late, not cancelled? Article 6 covers delays. In 2009, a big court case called Sturgeon said that any delay of 3 hours or more should be paid out, the same as a cancellation. The UK kept this rule after Brexit. Wizz Air has to follow it.
UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 7 (compensation amounts)
This is the rule that sets the cash amount. The four amounts are £220, £350, £260 and £520 per passenger. Which one you get depends on how far the flight was and how late you arrived. Wizz Air cannot pay you less just because your ticket was cheap.
UK Regulation 261/2004, Articles 8 and 9 (refund and care)
On top of the cash, two other rules look after you. Article 8 lets you pick between a refund or a new flight. Article 9 says Wizz Air has to look after you while you wait. That means free food, free drinks, two phone calls or emails, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight. Wizz Air was specifically criticised by the CAA in 2023 for failing to provide proper care to delayed passengers. If you had to pay for any of this yourself, keep the receipts and claim them back.
UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 5(3) (the "extraordinary circumstances" rule)
Wizz Air can get out of paying only if BOTH of these are true. One, the cause was outside their control. Two, they could not have stopped it even if they tried hard. Things that DO count are bad weather, war, air traffic control going on strike, and security alerts. Things that DO NOT count are Wizz Air's own staff going on strike, a normal aircraft fault, crew illness (after Lipton v BA CityFlyer 2024), or aircraft being grounded for engine inspections.
Limitation Act 1980, section 9
How long do you have to claim? In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have 6 years from the date of the flight. In Scotland, you have 5 years. A 2014 court case called Dawson v Thomson Airways made this clear. For Wizz Air specifically, the 2023 CAA undertakings cover claims from 18 March 2022, but you can still claim further back using the standard 6-year court window.
Common Wizz Air situations
Wizz Air rejected your claim
This is sadly common. The CAA found in 2023 that Wizz Air had been wrongly rejecting valid claims. If your claim was rejected, write back and demand specific reasons with evidence. If the flight was on or after 18 March 2022, you can specifically ask for a review under the 2023 CAA undertakings. If Wizz Air still says no, escalate to AviationADR after 8 weeks.
Your Wizz Air plane was grounded by an engine problem
In 2024 and 2025, Wizz Air had to ground hundreds of planes because of a defect in their Pratt & Whitney engines. This caused lots of delays. An engine grounding ordered by safety authorities CAN sometimes count as extraordinary circumstances. But a normal scheduled engine inspection or a fault that was known about does NOT. Wizz Air has to prove the specific cause was extraordinary. Demand the proof.
Wizz Air offered you a voucher instead of cash
A voucher is not the same as cash. The law (Article 7) says you can have cash. You can take a voucher if you want, but you do not have to. Write back and say you want the cash payment to your bank account. Quote Article 7 of UK261. If Wizz Air still refuses, take the case to AviationADR.
Wizz Air has not replied for 8 weeks
Long silences from Wizz Air are common, despite the 45-day commitment in the 2023 CAA undertakings. Once 8 weeks have passed with no proper answer, AviationADR will take your case. Send your demand letter by Royal Mail to start the clock cleanly. Keep your proof of postage.
Wizz Air owes you money even after a court judgment
This was the big issue in 2022 and 2023. Wizz Air had hundreds of unpaid County Court Judgments (CCJs) on its record. As part of the 2023 CAA undertakings, Wizz Air had to settle these. If you have a CCJ against Wizz Air that is still unpaid, you can apply for enforcement through the court (a writ of control with the High Court for amounts over £600). Report the unpaid CCJ to the CAA too.
Your flight was very late but not cancelled
Wizz Air was named the worst UK airline for delays in 2024 for the third year in a row. Average departure delays were over 30 minutes. If your flight arrived 3 or more hours late at the airport on your ticket, you can claim under Article 7. The £220/£350/£260/£520 amounts depend on the distance.
Your Wizz Air flight was diverted
A diversion counts as a delay. Compensation is worked out based on how late you arrived at your FINAL destination (the airport on your ticket), not the diversion airport. If Wizz Air took you on a coach from the diversion airport to your real destination, count the time you arrived at the real destination.
Send your Wizz Air claim letter via Royal Mail
PostRight writes your UK261 claim letter for you. Answer a few simple questions. Check the letter. Pay. We print it and post it by Royal Mail the next working day. A real letter is much harder for Ryanair to ignore than an online form.
- ✓Quotes the right part of UK Regulation 261/2004 for your situation
- ✓States the exact cash amount you are owed under Article 7
- ✓References the 2023 CAA undertakings if your flight was on or after 18 March 2022
- ✓Gives Wizz Air a clear 14-day deadline to reply
- ✓Explains the next step (AviationADR or court) if Wizz Air says no or stays silent
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Frequently asked questions
How much can I claim from Wizz Air?
It depends on how far the flight was meant to go and how late you arrived. For short flights under 1,500 km, the amount is £220 per passenger. For flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, it is £350. For longer routes over 3,500 km (like Wizz Air's Abu Dhabi or Riyadh flights), it is £260 if you were 3 to 4 hours late, or £520 if you were 4 hours or more late. The amount is per passenger. A family of four on a delayed Wizz Air flight to Athens (£350 tier) could claim £1,400.
What was the 2023 CAA action against Wizz Air?
On 26 July 2023, the UK regulator (the CAA) took formal enforcement action against Wizz Air. They found that Wizz Air had been: failing to offer alternative flights when services were cancelled, failing to look after stranded passengers, delaying claims, and wrongly rejecting valid claims. Wizz Air signed legally binding undertakings to put it right. The biggest part: Wizz Air had to review all welfare claims from passengers on flights to or from the UK from 18 March 2022 onwards. Passengers can also request that claims going back 6 years be reopened. The CAA called the action "unprecedented" because no UK airline had been subject to anything like it before.
What if my flight was after the 2023 action? Is Wizz Air better now?
The CAA said in 2023 that Wizz Air had improved enough to "emerge from enforcement measures" later that year. But Wizz Air was still ranked the worst UK airline for delays in 2024 for the third year in a row. The problems are not all fixed. The standard UK261 rights still apply to your flight, whenever it was. The 2023 undertakings give you EXTRA backing if your flight was after 18 March 2022.
How long do I have to claim from Wizz Air?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have 6 years from the date of the flight. In Scotland, you have 5 years. A 2014 court case called Dawson v Thomson Airways made this clear. Because of the 2023 CAA undertakings, Wizz Air also has to look at claims going back 6 years if you specifically ask them to.
What if Wizz Air offered me a voucher?
You do not have to take a voucher. The law gives you the right to cash, not a voucher. If Wizz Air has offered you a voucher, write back and ask for cash to your bank account. Quote Article 7 of UK261. If Wizz Air still refuses, take the case to AviationADR.
Is Wizz Air a member of an ADR scheme?
Yes. Wizz Air is a member of AviationADR, which is approved by the CAA. You can escalate to AviationADR after 8 weeks of no proper reply from Wizz Air, or after getting a final response from them. AviationADR is free for passengers and decisions are binding on Wizz Air.
What does AviationADR do if I escalate?
AviationADR looks at the evidence from both sides. They make a decision within 90 days of getting all the paperwork. The service is free for you. If they rule that Wizz Air has to pay, Wizz Air has to pay. The decision is binding. If you do not agree with their decision, you can still go to the small claims court instead.
What if Wizz Air still does not pay even after AviationADR or a court judgment?
This has been a big problem with Wizz Air historically. As part of the 2023 CAA undertakings, Wizz Air committed to settling all outstanding County Court Judgments (CCJs). If Wizz Air still has not paid after a CCJ, you can apply for enforcement through the court. For CCJs over £600, you can use a High Court enforcement officer (a writ of control). Also report the unpaid CCJ to the CAA, since that was the specific issue that triggered the 2023 enforcement action.
Free help and what to do next
AviationADR
Free service approved by the CAA. They settle Wizz Air claims without going to court. Decisions are binding on Wizz Air. You can use them after 8 weeks of no proper reply. Helpline: 0203 540 8063.
Visit website →CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT)
The UK's flying regulator. PACT does not handle individual claims because Wizz Air has an ADR scheme. BUT the CAA does take action against Wizz Air when patterns of bad behaviour build up (as it did in 2023). Reporting unresolved Wizz Air issues to PACT adds to the enforcement record.
Visit website →Citizens Advice Consumer Service
Free, independent advice on UK261 and your rights as a passenger. Helpline: 0808 223 1133.
Visit website →Money Claim Online (MCOL)
The online court service for England and Wales. Use this if Wizz Air refuses to pay after AviationADR has ruled in your favour, or to sue Wizz Air directly in the small claims track. Given Wizz Air's history of unpaid CCJs, also check enforcement options through gov.uk/make-court-claim/enforce-a-judgment if you win and Wizz Air still does not pay.
Visit website →Ready to claim from Wizz Air?
PostRight prints and posts your UK261 claim letter via Royal Mail. Tracked 24 is available for £9.99 if you want proof of delivery. From £2.79.
Send a Wizz Air letter from £2.79From £2.79 · Printed and posted by Royal Mail · Dispatched within one business day