What your EasyJet contract says

In short

EasyJet's General Conditions of Carriage form your contract for each booking, governed by English law and supplemented by UK Regulation 261/2004, the Montreal Convention for international flights, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. EasyJet sells four fare bundles (Standard, Standard Plus, FLEXI, and Inclusive) plus per-passenger 'Hands Free', 'Speedy Boarding' and seat-selection upsells. The fare you buy determines whether you get an under-seat-only small cabin bag (Standard) or a larger overhead cabin bag plus reserved seat (Standard Plus and above), and whether your booking can be changed without a fee (FLEXI). Hold luggage is always sold separately. Statutory rights to compensation for cancellation, long delay and denied boarding apply on top of the fare conditions and cannot be waived. EasyJet participates in the AviationADR scheme (a CAA-approved alternative dispute resolution body) and is regulated by the CAA.

What you agree to do

• You must check in online (free) and arrive at bag drop and the gate by the deadlines printed on your boarding pass; the gate closes 30 minutes before departure.
• On a Standard fare you may bring only one small cabin bag that fits under the seat in front; a larger overhead cabin bag requires Standard Plus or higher, an Up Front / Extra Legroom seat, or a paid 'Hands Free' add-on.
• Hold bags are not included in any fare and must be added at booking, in 'Manage My Booking', or at bag drop (where airport prices are markedly higher).
• FLEXI fares allow free flight changes from 14 days before departure up to 2 hours before; Standard and Standard Plus changes attract a per-passenger, per-flight change fee plus any fare difference.

What you can ask for

• If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund within 7 days or rerouting on the next available easyJet flight at no extra cost (UK Reg. 261/2004).
• If cancelled with less than 14 days' notice (and not extraordinary circumstances), you can claim £220 for journeys up to 1,500 km or £350 for 1,500-3,500 km (easyJet rarely operates routes longer than 3,500 km).
• If you arrive more than 3 hours late at destination due to a cause within easyJet's control, the same £220/£350 compensation scale applies.
• You have the right to care during disruption: meals and refreshments after 2 hours, two communications, and hotel plus airport transfers if an overnight stay is required (all at easyJet's expense).
• If easyJet refuses to reroute you and you book your own flight, the courts have repeatedly held the airline must reimburse reasonable replacement-flight costs (sometimes pursued via small-claims).

Points worth knowing

• Aggressive cabin-bag policing on Standard fareseasyJet ground staff actively measure and weigh small cabin bags at the gate. A bag that does not fit the under-seat sizer is gate-tagged for the hold and incurs a fee that is far higher than booking a hold bag in advance.
• Long-delay compensation routinely contestedeasyJet often labels delays as 'extraordinary circumstances' (weather, ATC, third-party strike) to deny 261 compensation. UK case law has narrowed this defence, especially for technical faults; many valid claims are paid only after escalation to AviationADR.
• Self-rebooking refunds are slow and partialWhen easyJet cancels and you self-rebook on another carrier, the airline will typically refund only the original ticket promptly and dispute extra costs. UK courts have ordered reimbursement of reasonable replacement fares, but recovering them often requires a small-claim or ADR submission.
• Voucher-first refund nudge during mass disruptionDuring large-scale disruption easyJet's web flow often defaults to a travel voucher. You are statutorily entitled to a cash refund in the original payment method within 7 days; you may need to phone or use the contact form to insist.
• Connections on separate tickets are not protectedeasyJet does not interline. If you book two separate easyJet tickets and the first leg is delayed, the airline has no obligation to rebook you on the second; the legal duty of care attaches per-ticket only.
• APD only refundable on requestAll UK departures include Air Passenger Duty in the fare. If you no-show on a non-refundable ticket you can reclaim the APD portion, but easyJet does not refund it automatically and applies an admin fee.

Dates and deadlines

Online check-in window

Opens 30 days before departure (FLEXI, Inclusive, easyJet Plus); 14 days for Standard. Closes 2 hours before scheduled departure

Refund deadline after cancellation

easyJet must refund within 7 days of your refund choice (UK Reg. 261/2004)

Damaged or delayed baggage notice

7 days for damage, 21 days for delayed delivery (Montreal Convention)

Compensation claim limitation

Six years from the date of disruption (Limitation Act 1980)