Flight delay claims at North Shields County Court and Family Court
Delays of three hours or more at arrival on qualifying flights trigger fixed compensation under the UK air-passage rules (the UK version of EU261) - £220, £350 or £520 by flight distance, doubled for long delays on long haul. Airlines settle documented claims; the County Court at North Shields County Court and Family Court handles the rest.
What you must show
The booking (contract of carriage), the actual arrival delay (three hours plus, measured at the destination), and that the flight falls within the scheme. Screenshots of the airline's own delay notices, the boarding passes, and the booking confirmation are the core exhibits. Compensation bands depend on distance and delay length - state which band you claim and why.
The defence you will meet
Airlines defend on 'extraordinary circumstances' - weather, ATC restrictions, security. The courts have narrowed this: technical faults within the airline's control do not qualify. Anticipate the defence in your witness statement with the airline's own communications, and cite that the burden of proving extraordinary circumstances lies on the airline.
Checklist
- Booking confirmation + boarding passes exhibited
- Delay evidence (airline notices, arrival records) exhibited
- Compensation band identified with the distance basis
- Airline correspondence exhibited
Official sources and related pages
Court details (verified register data)
- Court: North Shields County Court and Family Court
- Address: Kings Court, North Shields, North Shields, NE29 6AR
- Phone: 0300 123 5577
- Civil filing email: civil.northshields.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- DX: DX 97641 Bury St Edmunds 3
- Public counter hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm
- Document drop-box: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
- Hearing format: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
- Facilities: disabled access
Source: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/north-shields-county-court-and-family-court. Verified 2026-09-04. Always confirm against the official court finder before travelling.
Free national support
- Support Through Court: 0300 081 0000 - free, independent support for litigants without a lawyer
- Citizens Advice consumer service: 0808 223 1133 - consumer disputes, pre-claim guidance
- HMCTS general enquiries: 0300 123 7050 - finding the right court or money claim centre
Filing a witness statement? The Casewright CPR Part 32 Witness Statement & Bundle Builder structures your statement into CPR 32-compliant numbered paragraphs with a correct statement of truth and indexed exhibits - flat £79. This site is independent of Casewright; link is a sponsored referral.
This page is general information about County Court procedure, not legal advice, and it is not provided by HMCTS or any court. Procedures and fees change - always confirm against the official sources linked here before you act.
>Small Claims Court Help is an independent information directory. It is not affiliated with HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice, or any court.
Reviewed by Sean McNamara, 2026-09-04.