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If you’re flying from a UK airport with ITA Airways, your rights are protected by Regulation UK261. You’re also protected by EU Regulation EU261, because ITA is based in Italy. These rules mirror each other and set out exactly what you’re entitled to when something goes wrong with your flight.
TL;DR
- ITA passengers are protected by both UK261 and EU261, meaning strong rights whether you fly from London, Rome or beyond.
- Compensation ranges from £220–£520 (€250-€600) if you arrive 3+ hours late and ITA was responsible for the disruption.
- Long delays of 5+ hours give you the right to abandon the trip entirely and claim a full refund.
- ITA must provide meals, drinks, communication and hotel accommodation during extended airport waits.
- Refunds must cover unused flights and paid extras, including baggage or seat-selection fees you can no longer use.
- Missed connections are covered when both flights are on the same booking, and compensation is based on the final arrival delay.
- Compensation and refunds are separate rights, so eligible passengers often receive both.
What are Your ITA Airways Passenger Rights?
When your ITA flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to:
- Up to £520 (€600) in compensation if you arrive at your final destination 3 hours late or more and the disruption was ITA’s responsibility.
- Care and assistance at the airport once your delay lasts a certain amount of time
- A refund or a rebooking if your flight is delayed by 5 hours or more, or cancelled at any time
Compensation for ITA Flight Delays & Cancellations
Under UK261 & EU261, you’re owed financial compensation if:
- Your ITA flight is delayed and arrives 3 or more hours late, or
- Your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, and
- The cause of the disruption was not caused by extraordinary circumstances, like severe weather, civil unrest, bird strikes, or an airport strike.
The amount you receive ultimately depends on the distance of your flight and not the cost of your ticket.
ITA Airways Compensation Amounts
Here’s a table to help you figure out how much compensation you could be owed.
Flight distance | Compensation payout | Example ITA route |
Under 1,500 km | £220 (€250) | London to Rome |
1,500 to 3,500 km | £350 (€400) | London to Athens via ITA |
Over 3,500 km | £520 (€600) | London to Buenos Aires via ITA |
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With ITA Airways, passengers often underestimate how strong their protections are because they see it as ‘just another European airline with delays’. In reality, as an Italian carrier, ITA brings full EU261 rights with it on every route it operates. - Anton Radchenko, Aviation Lawyer & CEO of AirAdvisor
If You’re Stuck at the Airport Because of an ITA Flight Disruption
If ITA leaves you waiting at the airport, you’re entitled to care and assistance based on the distance of your flight.
How long do you have to wait before you get care and assistance from ITA?
- If your flight is under 1,500 km, you have to wait 2 hours for care & assistance
- If your flight is between 1,500 to 3,500 km, you have to wait 3 hours
- If your flight is more than 3,500 km, then you have to wait 4 hours
Once you hit these thresholds, ITA must provide:
- Free meals and refreshments
- Two free methods of communication (like Wi Fi or phone calls)
- Hotel accommodation if your delay forces an overnight stay
- Transport between the airport and your hotel
If the airline does not provide these, and you end up paying for your own food, taxis, or accommodation, keep your receipts because you can claim the money back later.
When Can You Get a Refund or Rebooking from ITA
Based on UK261 and EU261, you have the right to a refund or a rebooking when:
- Your ITA flight is delayed by 5 hours or more, or
- Your flight is cancelled, regardless of when ITA informs you
What happens if you choose a refund?
If you choose a refund instead of a rebooked flight, it must include:
- The unused part(s) of your ticket;
- The full ticket cost if the disruption makes the rest of your journey pointless (even if you’ve already flown one leg),
- Any extras you paid for, including seat selection or baggage fees that you won’t use because of the disruption.
The airline must process the refund without undue delay, typically within about 7 days after you request it.
Rebooking Options with ITA
If you prefer to continue travelling despite the delay or cancellation, ITA must offer you:
- A seat on the next available ITA flight, or
- A rebooking on a later date that you prefer
If ITA cannot offer a reasonable alternative on the same day as the disruption, you have the right to request a flight with another airline. This is important for flights from London, as ITA does not have a huge daily schedule in the UK.
Missed Connections with ITA
Most ITA connections run through Rome Fiumicino. So, if your first flight is delayed or cancelled, and you to miss your onward connection, and both flights are on the same booking, you can choose between:
- A rebooking to your final destination, or
- A refund for the entire trip, including a free return flight back to your original departure airport if needed
If the missed connection results in a delay of 3 hours or more at your final destination, and the original issue was within ITA’s control (like an airline strike), you may also qualify for compensation.
Can You Get a Refund and Compensation from ITA Airways?
You can definitely get a refund as well as compensation in some situations. Refunds and compensation are two separate rights, and one does not replace the other. This means that you may be eligible for both when:
- Your ITA flight is cancelled with less than 14 days notice: You can request a refund for any unused parts of your ticket and still receive compensation if the cause was within ITA’s control.
- Your delay lasts 5 hours or more, and you decide not to travel: If ITA causes a 5 hour delay for a reason that could have been avoided, you can claim a refund and still receive compensation.
- A delayed ITA flight causes you to miss your connection: If both flights are on the same booking, you can claim a refund for the unused part of the journey and compensation if the initial delay qualifies.
Here’s an example of a situation where you could get compensation in addition to a refund:
Your ITA flight from London Heathrow to Rome is delayed over 4 hours because of a staffing issue. This causes you to miss your connection to Milan. As a result, you decide not to continue your journey, so in this situation, you’re entitled to:
- A full refund for your ticket, plus
- £220 (€250) per passenger in compensation
Take These Steps if ITA Cancels or Delays Your Flight
These are the steps you should take to improve your chances of a successful compensation claim:
- If your flight is delayed, cancelled, or if you’re denied boarding, speak with ITA representatives to find out more details about the situation. Also, make a note of the cause of the flight disruption because it will strengthen your claim.
- Keep all your tickets, boarding passes, and receipts. These will also support your claim later.
- Remember that you are eligible for food and drink vouchers if ITA keeps you waiting at the airport. If you pay for things yourself, keep the receipts for reimbursement later.
- Check to see if your flight is eligible for compensation but using our compensation calculator.
How to File a ITA Airways Flight Compensation Claim
ITA does not automatically issue compensation or refunds, so the next step is to submit a claim through their online customer service and claims form. Don’t forget to add your travel documentation, receipts, and as many details as possible about your situation.
And if you don’t get a response from ITA right away, don’t worry. It may take several weeks for them to respond to your claim. If you don’t hear from them after a week or so, follow up with an email or by using their feedback form.
You can also file your claim through AirAdvisor
Real Cases & How ITA Passengers Were Compensated
Real ITA passengers flying from the UK have already received compensation with our help. Here is one example based on genuine cases from our database.
Case 1: ITA Missed Connection in Milan
Issue: Missed connection due to delay
Compensation: €950
Alessia was flying from Milan Linate with a connection onward to her final destination. A significant ITA Airways delay on the first leg caused her to miss the onward flight, leaving her stranded in Milan with no clear support at the airport.
She submitted her case to AirAdvisor after ITA did not provide timely assistance or acknowledge responsibility for the missed connection.
Our team confirmed that both flights were booked under a single itinerary, meaning EU261 applied and the final arrival delay triggered compensation.
We secured:
- €600 EU261 compensation for the long delay
- €350 reimbursement for extra costs she incurred while waiting for a new connection
Total recovery: €950
How AirAdvisor helped:
- Verified EU261 eligibility for a missed connection
- Documented the delay and connection failure
- Filed and pursued the full claim on Alessia’s behalf
- Ensured reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs caused by ITA’s handling
What began as a major disruption at Milan Linate ended with Alessia receiving the full amount she was owed.
Case 2: Long Delay on ITA Airways from London Heathrow to Milan Linate
Flight issue: Significant delay
Compensation received: £220
Luis was travelling from Heathrow to Milan when his ITA Airways flight was hit with a long delay that left passengers waiting in the terminal for more than 4 hours. Like most travellers, he was not given clear information about what caused the disruption or whether he had the right to claim compensation.
He submitted his case to AirAdvisor, and our team confirmed that the delay qualified under UK261. We handled the entire claims process for him, gathered the supporting evidence and dealt with the airline directly. In the end, Luis received the full £220 he was entitled to, without having to chase ITA or navigate the regulations himself.
If your ITA flight was delayed or cancelled, you could be owed up to £520 (€600) in compensationEnter your flight details to check your compensation and start your claim today.Check Your Flight
FAQs
Does ITA have to compensate me if a codeshare partner caused my delay?
Yes. Under EU261, compensation depends on who operated the flight. If you bought your ticket through ITA but the flight was operated by another airline, that operating carrier is responsible for compensation when the delay or cancellation is their fault. ITA may help with customer service, but the payout must come from the carrier that physically flew the aircraft. So, as long as the operating carrier was departing from an EU or UK airport, or is based in these regions you are covered by Regulation 261.
Can I get a refund from ITA if they change my flight time but don’t cancel the flight?
If ITA makes a significant schedule change that no longer works for you, you can usually request a refund even if the flight still operates. There is no EU-wide definition of "significant changet”, but many airlines treat changes of two hours or more as eligible. ITA also allows refunds when changes disrupt connections or force an overnight stay. You can always ask for rerouting instead if you prefer to travel.
Am I entitled to compensation if an ITA flight is delayed outside the EU, like in the US or Middle East?
It depends on the direction of travel. EU261 compensation applies when you fly from a non-EU country to the EU on an EU airline. Since ITA is an EU carrier, you are covered on flights such as New York to Rome or Dubai to Milan. If your flight arrives three hours or more late and the delay was ITA’s fault, you may qualify for compensation.
Can I claim money back if ITA downgrades my seat to a lower cabin?
Yes. EU261 requires airlines to refund a percentage of your ticket price if you are placed in a lower class than what you booked. For ITA flights, this means you can receive 30 to 75 percent of your ticket cost back depending on the flight distance. This refund applies even if ITA says the downgrade was unavoidable.
Author:
Nicolle Harwood-Nash
Job/Position: Writer & Content Creator
Nicolle is a copywriter and editor with over 15 years of international experience shaping content for industries including aviation, technology, finance, and healthcare. Skilled at both creative storytelling and precise editing, she brings adaptability and insight to every project she takes on.
Association of European Lawyers
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