Does EU261 Apply to Flights from Australia to Europe?
Direct answer: it depends on the airline and departure airport. EU/UK carriers (BA, Finnair) — covered both ways. EU/UK airport departures — covered regardless of carrier. Qantas from Australia: NO. Qantas from London/Rome/Paris: YES (€600 / £520 ≈ A$1,000).
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Quick Eligibility Table
| Flight | Regulation | Covered? | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas Australia → Europe (outbound) | None | ❌ No | — |
| Qantas Europe → Australia (return from EU/UK) | EU261 / UK261 | ✅ Yes | €600 / £520 (~A$1,000) |
| British Airways both directions | UK261 | ✅ Yes | £520 (~A$1,000) |
| Finnair both directions (from Oct 2026) | EU261 | ✅ Yes | €600 (~A$1,000) |
| Turkish Airlines IST → Australia | EU261 | ✅ Yes (IST = European) | €600 (~A$1,000) |
| Turkish Airlines Australia → IST | None | ❌ No | — |
The Two-Part Test
- Is the operating airline EU or UK? (Finnair, BA, KLM, Lufthansa etc.) → covered both directions.
- If not, does the flight depart an EU/UK airport? (LHR, CDG, FCO, FRA, AMS, IST etc.) → covered, even on Qantas.
If both answers are no — not covered.
Compensation Amount
€600 (EU261) or £520 (UK261), both approximately A$1,000 per passenger. Family of four: ~A$4,000. All Australia–Europe routes exceed 3,500 km, so the long-haul tier applies automatically when the regulation triggers.
Quick Eligibility Check
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does EU261 apply to flights from Australia to Europe?
It depends. EU261 applies if (a) you fly an EU carrier (Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, etc.) or (b) you depart from an EU airport. UK261 applies to UK-departing flights and UK carriers (BA). Qantas outbound from Australia is NOT covered. Qantas return from EU/UK IS covered.
What's the simplest test?
Two-part check: 1) Is the operating airline an EU or UK carrier? If yes — covered both ways. 2) If no — is the departure airport in the EU or UK? If yes — covered. If both no — not covered.
How much can Australian passengers claim?
Up to €600 (EU261) or £520 (UK261), both approximately A$1,000 per passenger. All Australia–Europe routes exceed 3,500 km, so the long-haul tier applies whenever the regulation triggers.
Is this complicated?
Mostly no — the rule is consistent. The complications are codeshare flights (operating carrier matters, not marketing) and connecting flights on a single ticket (CJEU C-451/20 protects them through non-EU airports if operated by an EU carrier).
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