Iran Air compensation: which flights from Europe qualify
Iran Air is Iran's flag carrier. Its head office is at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport and its international flights use Tehran Imam Khomeini. Until autumn 2024 it linked Tehran with London Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, Vienna, Milan and Rome. We have handled around forty Iran Air claims, mostly on those routes: roughly 6 in 10 for delays and 1 in 3 for cancellations.
Iran Air no longer flies to Europe. It cancelled all EU flights after the EU sanctioned the airline in October 2024, and its London service ended at the end of 2024. Rights from earlier flights still exist, though, as long as the time limit has not run out.
One thing to be clear about: Iran Air is a non-EU airline. Regulation (EC) 261/2004 only covers its flights departing from an EU airport, such as Frankfurt–Tehran. Flights from Tehran into Europe are not covered.
Delay
A flight from Europe that reached its destination three or more hours late.
Departures from Europe onlyCancellation
A flight out of Europe cancelled with under 14 days' notice.
Less than 14 daysBumped
Turned away at Heathrow or Frankfurt because the flight was oversold.
Due straight awayNot covered
Flights from Tehran to Europe, and disruption caused by outside events such as closed airspace.
Return from Tehran excludedNot sure whether your flight counts? Check your Iran Air flight in two minutes.
How much Iran Air pays on routes from Europe
The amount depends on the distance from your departure airport to your final destination. Almost every Iran Air route out of Europe is over 3,500 km.
| Distance | Iran Air routes from the EU | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | No Iran Air routes from the EU in this band | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | Vienna–Tehran | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | Frankfurt–Tehran, Cologne–Tehran, Milan–Tehran, Paris–Tehran | €600 |
Each passenger has their own claim, including children with a seat: four people on a Frankfurt–Tehran flight that arrived four hours late could claim €2,400. Many of our Iran Air cases involve several travellers on one booking; on our form you enter the flight once and add your companions.
London–Tehran: UK rules apply
Heathrow–Tehran was the route we saw most often. Flights up to the end of 2020 fell under the EU regulation. From 2021 until the route closed, departures from the UK are covered by UK261, which mirrors the EU rules with amounts in pounds, up to £520 per passenger on a flight of this length. If you were refused, you can take it to the CAA or the courts. Flights from Tehran to London are not covered.
Delayed Iran Air flight: what you need
Delays are behind most of the Iran Air claims we handle. What counts is your arrival time in Tehran, or at your final destination if a domestic connection was on the same ticket. Have ready:
- Your boarding pass for the flight out of Europe, even a photo.
- Your e-ticket, often issued by a travel agent rather than the airline.
- Delay messages by text or email, including any reason given.
- The actual arrival time at Imam Khomeini or your final stop.
- Receipts for meals or a hotel while you waited.
Care at the airport
| Distance | Meals and drinks after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
| 5 hours or more | You can give up the trip and get your fare back |
Onward domestic flights in Iran
On a single ticket such as Cologne–Tehran–Mashhad, compensation depends on how late you reached Mashhad. A separately booked domestic flight is not included. Read more on our delayed Iran Air flight page.
Cancelled Iran Air flight: refund and compensation
Always owed for a cancelled flight from Europe, unless you took an alternative flight.
€250 to €600 on top when notice was short and the cause was within the airline's control.
| Notice | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more | No |
| 7 to 13 days | Yes, unless the replacement left no more than 2 hours earlier and arrived less than 4 hours later |
| Under 7 days | Yes, unless the replacement left no more than 1 hour earlier and arrived less than 2 hours later |
October 2024 cancellations. Flights scrapped because of the EU sanctions still had to be refunded. Compensation is less certain, as the cause was a government decision; we assess each case. See our cancelled Iran Air flight page.
Iran Air overbooking
If you were kept off a full flight from Europe at the gate, compensation was due on the spot. It does not apply if you lacked a visa or travel documents required for entry. Read about Iran Air overbooking.
Iran Air staff strikes
When Iran Air's own pilots or engineers stop work, compensation is normally still owed: the EU Court of Justice treats staff strikes as part of an airline's normal operations (case C-28/20). An air traffic control strike in Germany or France is an outside event.
Iran Air turned you down? Typical reasons
Faults and maintenance remain the airline's responsibility.
EU Court of Justice, case C-549/07A ban imposed by states can be a defence; the airline's own organisational problems are not.
A knock-on delay is not enough on its own unless an extraordinary event started it.
Closures for security reasons or conflict are extraordinary circumstances if they hit your flight.
Iran Air flights not covered
As a non-EU airline, Iran Air owes no EU compensation on:
- flights from Tehran to Frankfurt, Paris, Milan or other EU cities
- flights to or from Istanbul, as Turkey does not apply the regulation
- domestic flights in Iran booked on a separate ticket
Iran Air today
The airline still flies within Iran and to destinations in Asia and the Middle East; a return to Europe would need fresh EU approval. In 2026 operations were also halted for several days during the conflict. If you have an old flight from Europe still unpaid, you can hand it to us.
How to claim from Iran Air
Write to Iran Air through its official website and handle the replies. If refused, go to the national enforcement body of the country where the flight departed (the CAA for UK departures) or to court.
Fill in our form and sign online. You pay only if you're paid: 25% + VAT. Our lawyers handle formal demands and court action, and legal costs are ours even if we lose.
If Iran Air has already said no
Send us the reply: we check whether the reason holds and, if it doesn't, send a formal letter before action.
Documents
- Ticket or boarding passEven if bought through an agent.
- PassportFor each passenger.
- EvidenceMessages, departure board photos, receipts.
Time limits
The deadline depends on the law of the country where you claim (case C-139/11). Every Iran Air flight from Europe predates the end of 2024, so it's worth acting soon: enter the date and we'll tell you if you're in time.
How long payment takes
If Iran Air accepts, payment usually takes a few weeks; with a formal demand or court case, a few months. Sanctions may slow things further. We pass on your share by bank transfer: €417 out of €600, €278 out of €400.
Lost baggage with Iran Air
Baggage falls under the Montreal Convention: fill in a PIR on arrival and write to Iran Air within 7 days for damage or within 21 days of delivery for a delayed bag.
Iran Air contact details
- Head office
- Iran Air, Mehrabad Airport, Tehran, Iran
- International hub
- Imam Khomeini Airport, Tehran
- Loyalty scheme
- SkyGift
- Claims and flight status
- Iran Air official website
Ryanair
Wizz Air
Vueling