CA
Check your compensation
Delayed flightCancelled flightOverbookingAirlinesService pricesLog inCheck your compensation
āœ“ You only pay if you get compensationāœ“ Up to ā‚¬600 per passengerāœ“ EC Regulation 261/2004
FinnairDelay Ā· Cancellation Ā· Overbooking

Finnair compensation: up to ā‚¬600 per passenger

Finnair flight delayed, cancelled or overbooked? Check for free in 2 minutes: we handle the claim, all the way to court if needed.

  • Up to ā‚¬600 per passenger
  • Check in just 2 minutes
  • Nothing upfront: you only pay if you get compensation
  • Legal assistance specialised in air travel
DelayFlight24 applies European Regulation EC 261/2004
Step 1 of 3

Check your Finnair flight

Free and with no obligation, in 2 minutes.

AYAirline:FinnairChange
Flight date
Choose departure and arrival: we will show you right away how much you are owed.
  • Data protected
  • Nothing upfront
  • You only pay if we win
  • Transparent feeOnly 25% + VAT and only if Finnair pays: out of ā‚¬400 you receive ā‚¬278.
  • All the way to courtIf Finnair does not pay, our lawyers take the airline to court, at no extra cost to you.
  • Claims handled87,774 passengers have already trusted usupdated in real time

In short

  • Delay: if you arrive 3 hours or more late, Finnair owes ā‚¬250 to ā‚¬600 per person, depending on the distance.
  • Cancellation: you are owed compensation if you were told less than 14 days before departure, on top of a ticket refund or an alternative flight.
  • Not owed for extraordinary circumstances (severe weather, air traffic control strikes). Technical faults and strikes by the airline's own staff usually are not extraordinary.
  • With DelayFlight24 you pay nothing upfront: if Finnair pays, you keep ā‚¬173.75 out of ā‚¬250 or ā‚¬278 out of ā‚¬400.

Finnair claims in numbers

Figures from the Finnair claims we have handled for our customers, updated daily.

109Finnair passengers have trusted us
39%of claims concern delayed flights
54%concern cancelled flights
7%concern overbooking and denied boarding

Finnair routes with the most claims

Finnair routes with the most claims
RoutekmOwed
HelsinkiNew Delhi5,228600 ā‚¬Check
HelsinkiBrussels1,648400 ā‚¬Check
Helsinki1,130250 ā‚¬Check
BergenStockholm710250 ā‚¬Check
VilniusHelsinki633250 ā‚¬Check
HelsinkiLisbon3,367400 ā‚¬Check
HelsinkiParis1,897400 ā‚¬Check
HelsinkiRovaniemi697250 ā‚¬Check

Amount per person for arrival delays of at least 3 hours, cancellations with less than 14 days' notice and overbooking, unless there were extraordinary circumstances.

Finnair compensation: up to ā‚¬600 per passenger, long-haul included

Finnair is Finland's national airline, flying from its Helsinki hub to cities across Europe, Asia and North America. We have handled more than 50 Finnair claims so far, and over half of them concern a cancelled flight. If your Finnair flight was cancelled at short notice, reached its destination at least 3 hours late or left without you because it was overbooked, you may be owed ā‚¬250, ā‚¬400 or ā‚¬600 per person on top of any ticket refund.

The airline is headquartered in Vantaa, at Helsinki Airport, which makes it an EU carrier. That matters: Regulation (EC) 261/2004 covers every Finnair flight leaving the EU and every Finnair flight landing in the EU from outside, such as Delhiā€“Helsinki or Londonā€“Helsinki.

Late arrival

You reached your final destination, after any connection in Helsinki, 3 hours or more behind schedule.

3+ hours at arrival

Cancellation

Finnair told you less than 14 days before departure and the replacement flight was too far from your original times.

Under 14 days' notice

Bumped from the flight

You turned up on time with a valid ticket and were refused boarding against your will.

Payable straight away

No compensation

Events Finnair cannot control: a blizzard that shuts the runway, air traffic control strikes, closed airspace.

Extraordinary circumstances

You don't need to work out the rules yourself. Enter your airports and date and we'll tell you in a couple of minutes. Check your Finnair flight.

How much Finnair pays: real routes from our claims

The amount depends only on the distance from your departure airport to your final destination.

Flight distance Finnair routes we see most Compensation
Up to 1,500 km Helsinkiā€“Rovaniemi, Copenhagenā€“Helsinki, Berlinā€“Helsinki ā‚¬250
1,500 to 3,500 km Helsinkiā€“Brussels, Londonā€“Helsinki ā‚¬400
Over 3,500 km Helsinkiā€“Delhi, KittilƤā€“Delhi via Helsinki ā‚¬600

Each passenger on the booking claims separately. A family of four on a Helsinkiā€“Delhi flight that lands 4 hours late is owed ā‚¬2,400 in total, and children with their own seat receive the same as adults.

Finnair flight delayed? What to do at the airport

Roughly 4 in 10 of the Finnair claims we handle are about delays, and many happen in winter, when de-icing and snow clearance slow departures from Helsinki and Lapland. The delay is measured when the aircraft door opens at your destination, not at take-off. While you wait:

  1. Keep your boarding pass, even if it only lives in the Finnair app or your phone wallet.
  2. Screenshot app notifications: they show the revised times and sometimes the reason for the delay.
  3. Note the real arrival time and ask the crew or gate staff what caused the disruption.
  4. Keep every receipt for meals, taxis or a hotel if Finnair didn't look after you.
  5. Don't swap cash for Finnair Plus points or vouchers before you know what you're owed.

Care Finnair must provide while you wait

Whatever the cause, Finnair has to give you food and drink and, if you're stuck overnight, a hotel room and transport to it.

Flight distance Care starts after
Up to 1,500 km 2 hours
1,500 to 3,500 km 3 hours
Over 3,500 km 4 hours
Departure delayed 5 hours or more You can abandon the trip and get your fare back

Missed connection in Helsinki

Helsinki is the gateway for British travellers heading to Lapland or onwards to Asia. If everything was on one booking, only your arrival at the final destination counts: Londonā€“Helsinkiā€“Rovaniemi arriving 3 hours late is worth ā‚¬400, and a Delhi trip via Helsinki ā‚¬600. More detail on our page about delayed Finnair flights.

Does your Finnair flight qualify?Check in 2 minutes, with no obligation.
Check your flight

Cancelled Finnair flight: refund and compensation

Cancellations are the biggest category in our Finnair files, more than half of the total.

Refund or new flight

Always due: you choose between your money back and a replacement flight to the same destination.

Fixed compensation

ā‚¬250 to ā‚¬600 on top, if you were told less than 14 days ahead and the cause wasn't extraordinary.

Notice from Finnair Compensation?
14 days or more No, but you keep the refund or new flight
7 to 13 days Yes, unless the new flight leaves no more than 2 hours early and lands less than 4 hours late
Less than 7 days Yes, unless the new flight leaves no more than 1 hour early and lands less than 2 hours late

Schedule changes. Since Russian airspace closed in 2022, Finnair has reshaped its Asian network more than once. A big retiming announced shortly before departure can count as a cancellation. See our guide to cancelled Finnair flights.

Finnair overbooking and denied boarding

It's the rarest case in our files, about 7 Finnair claims in 100, but it does happen on packed holiday flights to Lapland. If you're bumped involuntarily, compensation is owed on the spot, along with a new flight or a refund. Read more about Finnair overbooking.

Finnair strikes: who walked out decides

Industrial action by the Finnish aviation union has grounded flights at Helsinki in recent years, and Finnair's own notices have said that strike cancellations don't qualify for EU compensation. That isn't the whole story. When the airline's own employees strike, the EU Court of Justice treats it as part of normal business, so compensation is usually due (case C-28/20). Strikes by air traffic controllers or outside contractors are different and normally don't qualify.

Finnair rejected your claim? Common reasons, checked

Usually payable
"Technical fault"

Faults found during checks or maintenance are part of running an airline.

EU Court of Justice, case C-549/07
It depends
"Snow and ice in Helsinki"

Routine de-icing is part of a Nordic winter. Only exceptional weather that genuinely stopped your flight counts.

It depends
"Industrial action"

Finnair staff on strike: usually payable. Controllers or third-party workers: usually not.

EU Court of Justice, case C-28/20
Often not payable
"Airspace restrictions"

Closures ordered by the authorities are outside Finnair's control, provided they really caused your disruption.

Has Finnair already said no? Send us the reply. We check the weather, timings and stated cause, and if the refusal doesn't stand up we follow up with a formal demand and court action. Check your Finnair flight.

Flights operated by Norra and the Finnair network

Many regional flights sold under the AY code, especially within Finland and to neighbouring countries, are operated by Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra) on Finnair's behalf. Your rights are exactly the same: enter Finnair and the flight number in our form. Finnair is a oneworld member, and on codeshare flights the claim goes to the airline that actually operated the flight.

Flights from the UK are also covered by the UK's own version of the rules (UK261), paid in pounds. We'll tell you which one applies to your journey.

How to claim from Finnair: alone or with us

You can claim directly and for free through the online forms in the customer support section of finnair.com.

On your own

It costs nothing, but you chase Finnair yourself. If they refuse, you can complain to the national enforcement body of the country your flight left from (the CAA in the UK) or go to court.

With DelayFlight24

A two-minute form and an online signature. We handle the claim, the formal demand and any court case with our own lawyers. You pay only if you win: 25% + VAT. Legal costs are ours, even if we lose.

If Finnair has already turned you down

Forward us their answer. If the reason given doesn't match what happened, we send a formal letter before action.

Documents to have ready

  • Booking referenceThe six-character code or your boarding pass from the Finnair app.
  • ID or passportFor every passenger, children included.
  • Finnair's messagesCancellation emails, delay alerts and receipts for extra costs.

How long you have to claim

The Regulation sets no deadline. National law decides, as the EU Court of Justice confirmed (case C-139/11), so time limits vary by country. Even an older Finnair flight may still be in time: enter the date and we'll check.

How long Finnair compensation takes

If Finnair accepts the claim, payment usually arrives within a few weeks. If a formal demand or court case is needed, allow several months. Once Finnair pays, we transfer your share: ā‚¬173.75 of ā‚¬250, ā‚¬278 of ā‚¬400 or ā‚¬417 of ā‚¬600.

Lost or damaged luggage with Finnair

Bags fall under the Montreal Convention rather than EU261. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the baggage desk before leaving the arrivals hall, then claim from Finnair within 7 days for damage and within 21 days of delivery for a delayed bag.

Finnair contact details and flight status

Head office
Finnair Oyj, Tietotie 9, Vantaa (Helsinki Airport), Finland
Claims
Online forms in the customer support section of finnair.com
Flight status
Finnair app or the official website
Loyalty programme
Finnair Plus, based on Avios
No win, no fee. Nothing up front, and we cover legal costs even if the case is lost. Check your Finnair flight.

What if Finnair does not pay? We go all the way

Many airlines only pay when they realise we will not give up. If they refuse or do not reply, our lawyers take legal action, and you do not have to do anything.

Claim to the airline

We send the formal claim with all the documents.

Formal notice

If they do not pay, we send a formal notice with legal value.

Our lawyers in court

Our lawyers take the airline to court, all the way to a judgement.

  • If we lose, you pay nothingNo fee and no costs. If we win, the fee is 40% + VAT.
  • Legal costs are on usYou pay nothing for the court case, even if we lose.
  • All the way to a judgementWe do not stop at the formal notice: if needed we go to court.

Finnair compensation: frequently asked questions

How much compensation does Finnair pay?
It depends on distance: ā‚¬250 on routes such as Helsinkiā€“Rovaniemi or Copenhagenā€“Helsinki, ā‚¬400 on Helsinkiā€“Brussels or Londonā€“Helsinki, and ā‚¬600 on flights over 3,500 km such as Helsinkiā€“Delhi. You need to arrive at least 3 hours late or have been told about a cancellation less than 14 days ahead.
Am I covered on a Finnair flight from Asia to Europe?
Yes. Finnair is a Finnish, and therefore EU, airline, so EU261 also covers its flights arriving in Europe from outside, for example Delhiā€“Helsinki or Bangkokā€“Helsinki.
I missed my connection in Helsinki. Can I claim?
Yes, if both flights were on one booking and you reached your final destination 3 hours or more late. The amount is based on the distance from your first airport to your last one.
Finnair says a strike is an extraordinary circumstance. Is that right?
Not always. If Finnair's own staff went on strike, the EU Court of Justice (case C-28/20) says compensation is normally due. Strikes by air traffic controllers or outside contractors usually don't qualify. We check who walked out in your case.
My flight was operated by Norra. Does that change anything?
No. Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra) flies regional routes on Finnair's behalf under the AY code, and you have the same rights. Just enter Finnair and the flight number in our form.
Does snow in Helsinki mean no compensation?
Not automatically. Cold weather and de-icing are a normal part of Finnish winters. Only genuinely exceptional weather that stopped your specific flight counts, and we check airport data for the time in question.
Finnair offered me Finnair Plus points or a voucher. Should I accept?
You don't have to. Compensation is payable in cash unless you agree in writing to something else, so find out what you're owed in euros before deciding.
Is a flight from London to Helsinki covered?
Yes. As an EU airline, Finnair is covered by EU261 on flights into the EU, and the UK's own UK261 rules also apply to flights leaving the UK. We tell you which rules apply to your flight.
How long do I have to claim from Finnair?
The Regulation has no deadline of its own: the law of the country where you claim applies (EU Court of Justice, case C-139/11). Give us your flight date and we'll tell you whether you're still in time.
What does DelayFlight24 charge for a Finnair claim?
Nothing up front. If Finnair pays, we keep 25% + VAT, so you receive ā‚¬173.75 of ā‚¬250, ā‚¬278 of ā‚¬400 or ā‚¬417 of ā‚¬600. We cover all legal costs, even if a court case is lost.

Other airlines and other cases

Did you fly with another airline or want to know more about your case?

Other airlines

RyanairWizz AirVuelingV7VoloteaAZITA AirwaysLHLufthansaAFAir FranceIBIberia

By type of problem

Finnair flight delayed or cancelled?

Find out in 2 minutes how much you are owed. Nothing upfront: you only pay if you get compensation.

  • Check in 2 minutes
  • Nothing upfront
  • Up to ā‚¬600 per passenger
Check your compensation
Check your Finnair flight