When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to a technical fault, airlines often try to label the issue as an “extraordinary circumstance” to avoid paying compensation. This leaves many passengers confused about their right to compensation for flight delay due to mechanical problems. In reality, most technical problems are considered part of an airline’s normal operations and do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances under UK261 and EU261.
In this article, we’ll explain why technical faults usually don’t exempt airlines from paying compensation and what this means for your passenger rights.
Always remember that in many cases, passengers are entitled to compensation for flight delays and cancellations caused by technical issues, since these problems are generally considered to be the airline’s responsibility.
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What Are Extraordinary Circumstances Under UK261 & EU261?
Under UK261 and EU261, extraordinary circumstances are defined as events that are outside the airline’s control and could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
This rule exists to ensure that airlines are not financially responsible for disruptions they truly could not avoid, such as severe weather, natural disasters or air traffic control restrictions.
Examples of Extraordinary Circumstances for Flight Delays and Cancellations
Common examples include:
- Severe weather
- Natural disasters
- Terrorism threats
- Airport security incidents
- Air traffic control restrictions
- Airport or ATC staff strikes
- Pandemics and public health emergencies
Technical issues and faults are not extraordinary circumstances!
What Is Considered a Technical Fault?
A technical fault refers to any mechanical or equipment-related problem affecting an aircraft’s operation.
This includes mechanical failures, component breakdowns, normal wear and tear, and maintenance-related issues discovered before or during a flight.
It also covers unexpected equipment defects, such as faulty sensors, hydraulic problems, or electrical system failures. While some of these issues may arise suddenly, they are all considered part of the technical and operational risks inherent in running an airline.
Yes, you can get compensation for flight delay due to mechanical problems. Technical issues are not extraordinary circumstances.
Why Technical Faults Are Not Extraordinary Circumstances
Technical faults are not considered extraordinary circumstances because they are an inherent part of airline operations.
Airlines are legally expected to properly maintain their aircraft, detect faults, and manage technical issues as part of normal business activity.
Both EU and UK courts have consistently ruled that routine technical problems, even when unexpected, do not qualify as extraordinary since they are within the airline’s control. The key legal distinction is that “unexpected” does not mean “extraordinary”—a fault can arise suddenly but still remain the airline’s responsibility under UK261 and EU261.
So, yes, you can get compensation for flight delay due to mechanical problems. Technical issues are not extraordinary circumstances.
The same applies to flight cancellation compensation.
Read more:
- Jet2 Flight Delay Compensation
- Jet2 Flight Cancellation Compensation
- Jet2 Denied Boarding Compensation
Check your compensation online.
Your Rights That Still Apply Regardless of Technical Faults
When a flight disruption is caused by a technical fault, passengers retain a wide range of strong legal rights under UK261 and EU261.
Right to UK/EU Flight Compensation
You can get compensation for flight delay due to mechanical problems.
If the technical fault is within the airline’s control—which is the case for most mechanical and maintenance-related issues—and your arrival at the final destination is delayed by 3 hours or more, you are generally entitled to flight delay compensation.
The same applies to short-notice cancellations or denied boarding caused by aircraft changes linked to technical issues.
Right to a Refund or Rebooking
If your flight is cancelled due to a technical fault, you have the legal right to choose between a full refund of your ticket or rebooking on an alternative flight at no additional cost. This choice belongs to you—not the airline—and applies regardless of how or when the cancellation is announced.
Right to Care (Meals, Hotel, and Transport)
During long delays or cancellations caused by technical faults, airlines must also provide the right to care, which includes meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation when an overnight stay is required, and transport between the airport and the hotel.
When a Technical Issue Might Be Considered Extraordinary
While most technical faults are not considered extraordinary circumstances, there are a few rare exceptions where a technical issue may qualify as extraordinary.
One example is a hidden manufacturing defect that is later officially identified by the aircraft manufacturer or a competent aviation authority and affects multiple aircraft. In such cases, the fault is considered external to the airline’s operations and genuinely outside its control.
Another exception includes cases of sabotage or terrorism, where deliberate external interference causes the technical failure. Similarly, a collision with a foreign object beyond normal operation—such as runway debris that could not reasonably have been detected or prevented—may also qualify.
What Airlines Often Claim (And Why It’s Misleading)
Airlines frequently use vague or reassuring-sounding phrases to justify rejecting compensation claims, such as “unforeseen technical issue,” “operational safety issue,” or “maintenance problem beyond our control.” While these explanations may sound legitimate, they do not automatically remove the airline’s liability under UK261 or EU261.
Courts have made it clear that being unexpected does not make a fault extraordinary, and safety-related issues are still part of an airline’s normal operational risk. Airlines are legally required to maintain aircraft, prevent failures where possible, and manage technical disruptions.
If an airline relies on one of these phrases without providing concrete proof of an extraordinary circumstance, the compensation claim rejection may be unlawful. Passengers have the right to challenge unclear explanations, request detailed proof, and escalate the case if compensation is wrongly denied. For UK flights, you can escalate your complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), or to the relevant National Enforcement Body (NEB) for EU flights.
If your flight compensation claim continues to be denied, you may also choose to work with a flight compensation company, which can pursue the claim on your behalf and handle the legal process for you.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Yes, you can get compensation for flight delay due to mechanical problems. Technical issues are not extraordinary circumstances.