Flight delay complaints: IAA, CAA and national authorities

After a delay or cancellation, your first complaint always goes to the airline; if it does not reply or turns you down, you can go to the national enforcement body of the country your flight departed from: in Ireland that is the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), in the UK the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). These bodies make sure airlines follow the rules, but each works differently. Here is who to contact in each country and what they can do.

Which authority handles your flight

Every EU country has a national body that enforces Regulation (EC) 261/2004. The right one depends on the flight, not on your nationality or the airline:

• flights departing from an EU airport: the authority of the country of departure, whatever the airline;
• flights arriving in the EU from outside: the authority of the country of arrival, but only if a European airline operates the flight.

So for Dublin–Madrid you would contact the IAA; for Madrid–Dublin, Spain's AESA.

National authorities country by country

The UK: ADR schemes and the CAA

Since Brexit, flights departing from the UK follow the UK version of the rules, with amounts in pounds. The CAA's route works like this:

1. Complain to the airline in writing and keep a copy.
2. Wait for a final response or 8 weeks. Without that first step an ADR body cannot take your case.
3. Check which ADR scheme your airline belongs to: the CAA lists AviationADR and CEDR, among others.
4. Submit your case to that scheme with your booking, boarding passes and the airline's reply. It is free to use.
5. Accept or reject the decision. If you accept, the airline must follow it; if you reject it, you can still go to court. If the airline is not in a scheme, the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team can look at your case, but its view is not binding.

Ireland: the Irish Aviation Authority

The IAA is Ireland's national enforcement body for Regulation 261/2004 and has taken over the passenger rights work of the former Commission for Aviation Regulation. It covers flights departing from Irish airports and flights arriving in Ireland from outside the EU on a European airline. The IAA advises raising the matter with the airline first, so keep a copy of your complaint and of any reply to attach later.

The quickest way to get paid

Your rights are summed up on our passenger rights page. With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether you are owed compensation: if you go ahead, we handle the claim, the reminders and, if needed, court action. You pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. If the airline blamed bad weather or a strike, read our guide to extraordinary circumstances.

Frequently asked questions about national enforcement bodies

Can I go straight to the authority without contacting the airline?

No. Every authority in this guide expects you to complain to the airline first.

What happened to the Commission for Aviation Regulation?

Its functions passed to the Irish Aviation Authority, which is now the body to contact for flights from Ireland.

My flight left from Paris: can I complain to the IAA?

No. For flights departing from France the French DGAC is responsible, even if you live in Ireland or the airline is Irish.

Does it cost anything to use an ADR scheme in the UK?

No, ADR is free for passengers.

If the authority fines the airline, do I get the money?

No. A fine is separate from your compensation, which you still have to claim from the airline.

Find out more

• Air passenger rights
• Delayed flight: when you can claim compensation
• Cancelled flight: refund and compensation
• Overbooking: what you are owed
• What our service costs

Article updated on 22/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.