Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible

Air Transport

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Will I be able to continue flying between the United Kingdom and Spain after 1 January 2021? I already have the tickets. Will I have any problems using them?

As of 1 January 2021, it will be possible to continue flying between the United Kingdom and Spain in the same way as before. If you already have tickets to travel from that date, you do not have to do anything in particular, although your rights as a passenger could suffer some change depending on the company you are travelling with and the origin of the flight, so we suggest contacting your company or travel agency to obtain information on this.
In any case, passengers on flights departing from any airport in the European Union either to the United Kingdom or other countries will not continue to maintain the same rights as before

Can all European airlines continue to operate? What about those from the United Kingdom?

Actually, all companies that have been operating between the European Union and the United Kingdom to date may continue to do so, as well as European airlines within the EU.
Some European companies will have had to make adaptations due to Brexit, but this had to take place during a transitional period that ends on 31 December 2020, so after that date all of them must be able to continue complying with the European regulations and therefore operate within the Union. You, as a passenger, shouldn’t notice any changes in that respect.

As a passenger, will I notice any changes when flying to the United Kingdom?

From 1 January 2021, travellers to or from the United Kingdom may experience slight changes in passport or customs control procedures. Passport stamping may be required, and UK nationals will have to use non-EEA or specific queues for passport control. This information is usually published on the website of the airports or of the airlines themselves.

On the other hand, if you travel with pets, especially if you are travelling from the United Kingdom, you must bear in mind the requirements for entering Spain, and the fact that you can only enter with your pet through certain airports authorised for this purpose. We suggest visiting the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to find out about the updated requirements at all times and the list of entry airports.

I'm planning to travel abroad after 1 January 2021 with a stopover in a British airport. Will I have problems?

You should be able to continue your trip without problems, but we suggest consulting the British government website or asking your airline or travel agent in advance, in case the United Kingdom requires the completion of any additional procedure.

I am a citizen of one of the following countries: AFGHANISTAN, BANGLADESH, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, GHANA, IRAN, IRAQ, NIGERIA, PAKISTAN, SOMALIA, SRI LANKA, and I plan to travel to the United Kingdom after 1 January 2021 with a stopover at a Spanish airport. Are there any special requirements?

After 01 January 2021, citizens of the countries listed above who wish to travel to the United Kingdom with a stopover at European Union airports will need an airport transit visa. To get this visa, they will have to go to the nearest consulate of the country that they will be transiting through.

After Brexit, will I still have the same air transport rights as a passenger that I have now?

From 2021, flights departing from the United Kingdom will be subject to the user protection regulations of that country and, if you fly with European Union airlines to an airport in the EU, you will also continue to have the same rights provided by European regulations. You can find out about these rights on the website of the Spain’s National Aviation Safety Agency and we suggest consulting your airline or travel agent as well. In any case, passengers on flights departing from any European Union airport regardless of whether or not their destination is the United Kingdom will not continue to maintain the same rights as before.

I'm travelling from Spain to the United Kingdom and my flight is cancelled or delayed. Can I file a claim for assistance, compensation, etc. under the European Regulations for protecting the rights of air transport users (Reg. (EC) 261/2004)?

Yes, you can. Since the flight departs from a Spanish airport, European regulations still apply, regardless of the airline. This does not change after 01 January 2021.

On the return flight - I'm travelling from the United Kingdom to Spain - if my flight is cancelled or delayed, can I file a claim for assistance, compensation, etc. in accordance with European regulations for protecting the rights of air transport users (Reg. (EC) 261/2004)?

After 01 January 2021, the rights that apply to passengers on flights departing from the UK to the EU will depend on the nationality of the airline. If the company is British or non-European, the rights will be those in force in the UK, whereas if the company is European, users may demand to have the rights provided by EU law applied to them.

I am a British citizen currently living in the Canary Islands/Balearic Islands. Will I continue to be eligible for the air transport subsidy when I travel between islands or to the mainland?

As of 1 January 2021, British citizens residing in the Canary or Balearic Islands, Ceuta or Melilla, who are not relatives of residents of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, will only be able to continue enjoying the resident transport subsidy if they have long-term resident status.

AESA (State Air Safety Agency) contact details related to passenger rights incidents.

Call centre AESA (+34) 91 396 82 10 (opening hours 08:30-14:30 M-F).

Email box: brexit.aesa@seguridadaerea.es