Wizz Air publishes unusually detailed rules on who may claim and how. Read them before you file, because they affect whether a helper, a relative or a claims company can act for you.
Which Wizz Air flights are covered
Wizz Air flies under three licences: Wizz Air Hungary (flight code W6), Wizz Air Malta (W4) and Wizz Air UK (W9).
- Leaving an EU or EEA airport: EU261 applies on all three (Art. 3(1)(a), Regulation 261/2004).
- Arriving in the EU from outside it, for example from Albania, Georgia or the UK: EU261 applies when the flight is operated by the Hungarian or Maltese airline, which hold EU licences (Art. 3(1)(b)).
- Leaving a UK airport: UK261 applies, whichever Wizz Air airline operates.
The two-letter code in your flight number tells you which airline flew. The rights calculator sorts out the regime from the route.
Amounts
Wizz Air’s site confirms that passengers delayed more than three hours on arrival are entitled to Article 7 compensation unless the cause was extraordinary. The same applies to a cancellation announced less than 14 days before departure (Art. 5(1)(c)) and to denied boarding.
| Flight distance | EU261 | UK261 | Halved if rerouted and you arrive within |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 | 2 hours |
| 1,500–3,500 km, and flights within the EU over 1,500 km | €400 | £350 | 3 hours |
| Other flights over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 | 4 hours |
For cancellations, the notice periods matter (Art. 5(1)(c)):
- 14 days or more before departure: no compensation.
- 7 to 14 days: no compensation if the new flight leaves no more than 2 hours earlier and arrives less than 4 hours later.
- Under 7 days: no compensation if it leaves no more than 1 hour earlier and arrives less than 2 hours later.
Wizz Air lists air traffic control, weather, industrial action, terrorist alerts and airport closures as extraordinary circumstances and says each case is assessed individually. The airline has to prove the cause (Art. 5(3)).
Good to know
A reform of EU261 adopted in 2026 keeps the three-hour threshold and the amounts; its new rules do not apply yet.
Where to file
Wizz Air directs EC261 claims to its online complaints form. You have to log in to a WIZZ account to submit it.
Have ready:
- Booking confirmation code.
- Flight number and date.
- Passenger names.
- Receipts if you are also claiming meals, hotel or transport.
- Bank details for the payment.
Wizz Air’s rules on who may claim
All of these are stated on Wizz Air’s EC261 page:
- Fellow passengers. Someone else may claim for you only if you were on the same booking, with proof that you authorised it.
- Other third parties. Wizz Air will not process the claim unless you, or a passenger on your booking, claimed directly first. It adds that this does not stop you taking legal advice beforehand.
- Representatives. They must present documents proving they are legally authorised. Wizz Air treats payment to them as full payment of the claim.
- Assignment. You may assign the claim. Wizz Air asks for a signed notice with the reservation number, the basis of the claim and the flight date and number, or the original or a certified copy of the assignment contract. It says it deducts a €50 administration fee from assigned claims.
Tip
The practical conclusion: file the first claim yourself, in your own name, and keep the confirmation.
If Wizz Air refuses or stays silent
- EU departures. Wizz Air’s site points to the national enforcement body of the country of departure and links to the European Commission’s list. In Hungary, complaints go to the government office responsible for the airport; for Budapest that is the Government Office of the Capital City Budapest.
- UK departures. The Civil Aviation Authority lists Wizz Air as a member of AviationADR. You can go there after eight weeks without a reply, or within 12 months of a final response.
- Court. The European Small Claims Procedure covers cross-border claims in the EU up to €5,000 (Regulation (EC) No 861/2007).
Our claim letter gives you the wording for a written demand, and how to claim sets out the order of steps.