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Delayed flight

VY8470 landed 5h 4m late on September 8, 2026

VY8470 LGW–ALC arrived 5h 4m late on September 8, 2026. EU 261 compensation for this distance is €250 per passenger.

Vueling compensation guide
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  • Checked against official flight records
Vueling
5h 4m late
LGWLondon
ALCAlicante
Flight
VY8470
Date
September 8, 2026
Departure
15:10 UTC
Arrival
22:54 UTC
Compensation
€250 per passenger
SP · VY8470
The short answer

Was VY8470 delayed long enough for EU 261 compensation?

Vueling flight VY8470 from London Gatwick to Alicante arrived 5h 4m late on September 8, 2026. That is past the three-hour mark in EU Regulation 261/2004. The route is 1,431 km. The statutory amount for this distance is €250 per passenger when the airline is responsible.

Delayed flight compensation rulesEU 261 explainedVueling compensation guide
What else happened that day

UK air traffic control failure

On 8 September a fault in the NATS flight processing system restricted departures from UK airports for several hours. More than 1,000 flights to and from the UK were cancelled, and aircraft and crews were still out of position on 9 September.

Usually an extraordinary circumstance, so no EU 261 cash compensation. Airlines still owe meals, a hotel if you are stuck overnight, and the choice of a refund or a new flight. The airline still has to prove that this event caused the disruption to VY8470. A technical fault, a crew shortage or a strike by the airline’s own staff on the same day is not an extraordinary circumstance, and still pays out.

Sources: The Independent · CNA / AFP · September 2026 disruption report

Delay check

How VY8470's delay measures up

EU 261 counts the delay at the arrival gate, when the doors open, not at take-off or touchdown.

5h 4mArrival delay at the gate
Past the 3-hour mark
3h
0h7h
  • 3h — where EU 261 compensation starts

Airlines can still refuse when the cause was outside their control, such as severe weather or air traffic control restrictions.

Flight record

What we recorded for this flight

Taken from live airport boards at the departure and arrival airports.

Flight
VY8470
Airline
Vueling
Date
September 8, 2026
Route
LGW → ALC
From
London Gatwick (LGW)
To
Alicante (ALC)
Scheduled departure
15:10 UTC
Actual arrival
22:54 UTC

Distance band

What this route is worth

LGW–ALC is 1,431 km by great-circle distance. EU Regulation 261/2004 fixes the amount by distance, so the ticket price makes no difference.

Up to 1,500 kmThis flight

€250

1,500–3,500 km

€400

Over 3,500 km

€600

Flights within the EU over 1,500 km are paid at €400, and arriving three to four hours late on a flight over 3,500 km halves the payment to €300.

Your rights

What you can claim for this delay

  • The rule

    A delay of three hours or more at the destination is worth €250 to €600 per passenger, based on the distance flown.

  • This flight

    We measured a 5h 4m arrival delay, which is past the three-hour threshold. The airline can still argue extraordinary circumstances.

  • How long you have

    Claim windows run from one to six years depending on the country. Checking is free and takes about two minutes.

Were you on board this flight?

Check in two minutes whether this airline owes you compensation. No win, no fee.

Same route

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Same airport

Other departures from London Gatwick

All LGW disruptions

Flight data comes from public airport boards and is provided for information only. It is not legal advice, and an airline may dispute liability where the disruption was outside its control.