There is no national fixed payout for a delayed or cancelled flight in China. The national rules make the airline tell you what is happening, give you a fee-free refund, rebook you free when it caused the change, and provide meals or accommodation in set cases. Fixed cash amounts come only from the airline's own conditions of carriage. Air China, China Eastern (MU), China Southern and Hainan Airlines each state RMB 200 or RMB 400 for airline-caused delays of 4 hours or more, with different triggers; Spring Airlines does not commit to any other compensation. If the airline does not fix the problem, you can complain to the airline, and to the CAAC 12326 platform within 6 months of the event, and you have two years to sue.
Which rules apply to you
Four national instruments cover these flights, and each airline adds its own conditions of carriage. They apply to Chinese airlines, and to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign airlines on flights that start or stop over in mainland China (Provisions Art. 2; Order No. 3 Art. 2; Complaint Measures Art. 27).
| Instrument (short name) | Date |
|---|---|
| Civil Aviation Law of the PRC (the Law), revised 27 December 2025 | In force from 1 July 2026 |
| Provisions on the Administration of Flight Regularity (the Provisions), Order No. 56; CAAC's English translation is "for reference only" and stops at Art. 47 | In force 1 January 2017 |
| Regulation on the Management of Public Air Transportation Services for Passengers (Order No. 3) | In force 1 September 2021 |
| Measures for the Management of Passenger Complaints about Public Air Transport Services (the Complaint Measures), CAAC document No. 28 of 2021 | In force 1 September 2021 |
What the airline must do when your flight is delayed or cancelled
- Tell you. The airline must announce the departure delay or cancellation, with the cause and flight status, within 30 minutes of learning of the change. The airport must also show it in the terminal (Provisions Art. 26; the Law Art. 154). If you doubt an announcement, you can ask CAAC to verify it after your trip.
- Refund or rebook under the conditions of carriage and ticket terms (Provisions Art. 27; details below), and give written proof promptly when you ask (Art. 27).
- Provide or arrange meals and accommodation, depending on the cause and place (Provisions Art. 29; table below).
- Serve first disabled and elderly passengers, pregnant passengers and unaccompanied minors (Provisions Art. 30).
- Say in its conditions of carriage (domestic airlines) whether it pays delay compensation and, if it does, the conditions, standard and method (Provisions Art. 17; the Law Art. 153 requires the conditions to cover irregular-flight handling). An airline that fails to publish notices or to handle a delay or cancellation properly can be ordered to correct it within a time limit, and fined if it does not (the Law Art. 251).
Does the cause matter?
Yes. It decides who pays for meals and accommodation. It also decides cash compensation: every airline clause below that has an amount applies only to causes attributable to the airline.
Order No. 3 Art. 63 splits causes in two. "Attributable to the carrier" means the airline's internal management, including aircraft maintenance, flight dispatching and crew deployment. "Not attributable" means weather, emergencies, air traffic control, security checks, passengers and other factors. CAAC's travel-tips page sorts irregular flights into 11 main cause groups. If you disagree with the cause on the airline's delay or cancellation certificate, you can have it confirmed through the 12326 platform.
Provisions Art. 29 sets the meals and accommodation rule:
| Situation | What the airline does | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Delay or cancellation at the departure airport, caused by the airline (maintenance, flight scheduling, crew) | Provides meals or accommodation | Airline |
| Same, caused by weather, emergencies, air traffic control, security checks or passengers | Helps you arrange meals and accommodation | You |
| Domestic flight delayed or cancelled at a stopover, or diverted to another airport, any cause | Provides meals or accommodation | Airline |
The Provisions give no minimum number of hours. The airlines repeat this split in their own conditions (for example Air China 8.2.3, Spring 7.2.3).
The Provisions (Art. 3) define a flight delay as an actual arrival on-block time more than 15 minutes after the scheduled arrival time, and a departure delay as an actual off-block time more than 15 minutes after the scheduled departure time. China Eastern (13.61) and China Southern (7.2.4) count compensation hours by arrival. Air China and Hainan Airlines do not say whether the hours run from departure or arrival.
Cash compensation: no national amount, so read your airline's conditions
The Provisions set no amount; Article 18 only asks airlines to explore delay insurance. The revised Law sets no amount either. Its Article 132 makes the airline liable for loss caused by delay unless it proves it took all reasonable measures or could not take them, and Articles 135 and 136 generally cap that liability at the limits in the international conventions China has joined, which the aviation authority publishes. Article 140 removes the delay-liability limit where the loss is proved to result from intentional conduct, or from reckless conduct with knowledge that loss would probably result.
| Airline and document (in force from) | Clause and trigger | Amount per passenger | Infants; form of payment | Complaint channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air China, General Conditions of Carriage (1 July 2026) | 8.3.1 to 8.3.2. Delay caused by Air China within 3 days before the scheduled departure; passengers who bought the ticket before the delay and flew | RMB 200 for 4 hours or more but under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | Infants not stated. Agreed with you: cash, or a proportion as transport credit, e-voucher or consumable mileage | (+86-10) 95583 (Art. 10) |
| China Eastern (MU), General Conditions for Transportation of Passengers and Baggage (1 July 2026) | 9.2.5. Delay or cancellation caused by China Eastern; delay measured on arrival (13.61) | RMB 200 for 4 hours to under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | Infants 10% of the rate. Agreed with you: cash, vouchers, travel expense certificates or Eastern Miles points (9.2.5.2) | 95530 in China; +86 2120695530 from overseas (Art. 12) |
| China Eastern (MU), International Transportation Conditions (20 September 2024) | 9.13.2. Delay or cancellation due to reasons attributable to China Eastern | RMB 200 for 4 hours to under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | Infants 10% of the rate. Form not stated | (86-21-206)95530 (Rule 19) |
| China Southern, General Conditions of Carriage for Passenger & Baggage (1 July 2026) | 7.2.4. Delay on arrival (reaching the gate more than 15 minutes late) for reasons attributable to China Southern; schedule changes excluded | RMB 200 for 4 hours or more but under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | Not stated | 95539 (Chinese Mainland); +86 4008695539 (overseas) (Art. 13) |
| Hainan Airlines, domestic General Conditions, Chinese (11 September 2026) | 7.2.5. Delay of a domestic flight caused by Hainan Airlines (maintenance, flight adjustment, crew) | RMB 200 for 4 hours to under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | No compensation for infant tickets without a seat (7.2.5.3). Hainan "may" pay cash, points or vouchers (7.2.5.4) | 95339 (Art. 18) |
| Hainan Airlines, General Conditions of International Carriage (25 April 2026) | 7.2.6. Delay caused by Hainan Airlines; 7.2.6.5 says local laws prevail if they conflict | RMB 200 for 4 hours to under 8 hours; RMB 400 for 8 hours or more | No compensation for infant tickets without a separate seat (7.2.6.3). Hainan "may" pay cash, points or coupons (7.2.6.4) | 95339 (Chinese Mainland); (+86)95339 or (+86-898)95339 (overseas) (Art. 18) |
| Spring Airlines, General Conditions, Chinese (30 September 2026) | 7.2.5. Whatever the cause of a delay or cancellation, Spring does not commit to any other compensation | No amount | Not applicable | 95524 (Art. 14) |
The amounts match for the first four airlines, but the triggers differ. China Eastern's clause covers delay or cancellation, but states no separate amount for a cancellation.
More points from the clauses:
- Foreign laws. Air China (8.3.1) says it follows the delay or cancellation laws of any country or region involved in the flight. Hainan Airlines' international text (7.2.6.5) says local laws prevail on conflict.
- No extra liability. China Eastern (9.2.6), China Southern (7.2.6), Hainan Airlines international (7.2.8) and Spring (7.2.6) say they take on no further liability beyond their own delay clauses, except where mandatory law requires more. Hainan Airlines domestic (7.2.7) states the limit without that exception.
- Codeshare. If another airline operates your Air China-coded flight, that airline's terms may differ and can take priority (Air China 1.3).
- Ticket purchase date. Air China (14.1 and 14.2), China Eastern (14.2.1), China Southern (15.2.1) and Hainan Airlines (19.2.1) say amendments do not apply to tickets bought earlier. Hainan Airlines publishes earlier domestic editions by ticket sale date, for example the edition for tickets sold from 10 July to 10 September 2026. If you bought before the dates in the table, the edition in force when you bought may apply instead. Order No. 3 (Art. 7) also says an amendment that restricts passenger rights or adds passenger obligations does not apply to tickets bought before the amendment, unless the State provides otherwise.
- Written proof. Air China (8.2.4), China Eastern (9.2.4) and Hainan Airlines (domestic 7.2.6, international 7.2.7) say the delay certificate is not the basis for services or compensation, though the Provisions require the airline to issue it on request. Hainan Airlines lets you download its certificate in its app or on WeChat.
Refund and rebooking: do not change the ticket yourself first
Order No. 3 sets the baseline.
- If the airline causes the change, it must rebook you free of charge when a seat is available on another flight, or endorse your ticket to another airline that agrees (Art. 24). If the cause is not the airline's, your conditions of carriage and ticket terms decide.
- An involuntary refund carries no refund fee (Art. 25). Art. 63 defines it as a refund because of flight cancellation, delay, early departure, a change in flight segments, a change in cabin class or the airline being unable to operate the flight.
- The airline or agent must finish the refund within 7 working days of a valid request, not counting bank processing time (Art. 26).
China Eastern (9.2.1.1) allows an involuntary change or refund for a delay, cancellation, diversion, early departure, or a scheduled departure or arrival moved back by more than 15 minutes. Spring (7.2.1.1) covers departure delays, cancellations, diversions and early departures, and scheduled departure or arrival times moved back by 15 minutes or more. Hainan Airlines domestic (8.3) lists a departure delay of more than 15 minutes among its grounds.
The trap: if you change or refund the ticket under the voluntary rules before the airline announces the disruption, fees you paid are not returned. China Eastern (9.2.1.2), Spring (7.2.1.3) and Hainan Airlines domestic (8.3.4) all say this. The same three also cover a missed flight: if you miss it for a reason that is not the airline's before the announcement, China Eastern (9.2.1.2) and Hainan Airlines domestic (8.3.4) handle later refunds and changes under the ticket's terms of use, and Spring (7.2.1.2) applies the voluntary rules.
On a connecting itinerary, if a change to one or more segments means you cannot finish the whole journey on time, the contracting airline must help you reach your final destination or the stopover airport (Order No. 3 Art. 27). Hainan Airlines (domestic 8.3.8) says tickets bought separately are separate contracts: only the disrupted ticket gets involuntary treatment.
Stuck on the plane with the doors closed
The Provisions call this a tarmac delay (Art. 3): after the doors close before departure, or before they open after arrival, passengers wait on board longer than the airport's taxiing time limit. The airline reports the cause and expected delay every 30 minutes (Art. 33). Toilets must work, as long as safety allows (Art. 34). From 2 hours on, the airline provides drinking water and food (Art. 34). From 3 hours on with no firm take-off time, the airline arranges for you to leave the plane, as long as safety and security rules allow (Art. 35). China Eastern's international conditions repeat these four duties (9.13.5).
How to complain, step by step
The Complaint Measures (Art. 2) and the Provisions (Art. 44) let you complain to the airline, the airport, the ground handling or ticket sales agent, or CAAC, and the Law (Art. 156) makes airlines publish their complaint channels and answer complaints. None of these texts makes the airline step compulsory or sets a waiting period. Going to the airline first is still the practical order, because 12326 forwards your complaint to the airline anyway (Complaint Measures Art. 10).
| Step | What happens | Time limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Airline | Use the airline channels in the table above. The Provisions (Art. 46) require the airline to tell you within 7 working days whether it accepted the complaint, and to give a substantive reply within 10 working days (20 for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign airlines). Order No. 3 (Art. 52) separately requires the airline to offer its solution within 10 working days of receiving the complaint, and its Art. 65 says Order No. 3 prevails where earlier civil aviation rules on complaint management are inconsistent | 7, 10 and 20 working days under the Provisions; 10 working days for the solution under Order No. 3 | Provisions Art. 46 and Art. 74 of the Chinese text ("day" means working day, excluding statutory holidays); Order No. 3 Art. 52 and 65 |
| 2. File with CAAC | Hotline 12326, or the 12326 platform (web page and app), run by the CAAC Consumer Affairs Center. Give your real name, identity document information and valid contact information, plus a specific request and the facts. Someone else may file for you with a power of attorney and both parties' ID information | Within 6 months of the event | Complaint Measures Art. 4 and 6 |
| 3. Acceptance | CAAC decides whether to accept and tells you through the platform. It does not accept a complaint that a court or arbitration body is already hearing, that has a legally effective judgment or arbitral award, or that has been closed | 7 working days | Art. 7 and 9 |
| 4. Airline outcome | CAAC forwards the complaint; the airline gives you its outcome on the platform | 10 working days from receiving it | Art. 10 and 13 |
| 5. Mediation | If you are not satisfied, apply for mediation on the platform (online meeting, phone or video conference) | Apply within 10 working days after the outcome; mediation finishes within 20 working days | Art. 15 and 17 to 19 |
| 6. Arbitration or court | Open after the complaint closes | See next section | Art. 20 |
Working days are counted from the day after you file (Complaint Measures Art. 26).
The Complaint Measures and CAAC's travel-tips pages do not say whether a foreign passport is accepted, whether the website, app or hotline works in English, whether a Chinese phone number is needed, or which identity document details are needed. Ask 12326 on its hotline or platform before you rely on it. The Provisions (Art. 45) require Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign airlines to be able to handle complaints in Chinese; they say nothing about English.
If you are still not satisfied
After mediation fails or you reject the airline's outcome, the Complaint Measures (Art. 20) leave arbitration or a civil lawsuit open; the Provisions (Art. 44) also let you go to arbitration or court directly, as the law allows, without complaining first. The Law (Art. 143) sets a two-year limitation period for lawsuits over air transport, counted from the day the aircraft arrived at its destination, should have arrived there, or the carriage ended. Spring repeats this in 15.4.3. The 6-month window for a 12326 complaint is much shorter than the two-year window to sue, and 12326 will not take a complaint once a court or arbitration body is hearing it. The official pages cited here give no length for arbitration and no arbitration or court fees; ask the institution or court you choose.
How this differs from EU261
EU rules cover flights within the EU, flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline and flights departing from the EU, unless you already received benefits under a non-EU country's law for that journey; they pay EUR 250, 300, 400 or 600 by distance for an arrival delay of 3 hours or more (4 hours or more for EUR 600) unless extraordinary circumstances apply (Your Europe page, "Last checked: 21/09/2026"). A domestic flight in China on a Chinese airline is outside that scheme, so the Chinese rules and airline conditions above apply instead.
Which route should you take?
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You no longer want to travel | Ask for an involuntary refund before you cancel or change anything yourself (Order No. 3 Art. 25) |
| You still want to travel | Ask for rebooking; it is free if the airline caused the change and a seat is available (Art. 24) |
| Airline-caused delay of 4 hours or more on Air China, China Eastern, China Southern or Hainan Airlines | Ask the airline for compensation under its clause. Check the trigger and your ticket purchase date |
| Delay on Spring Airlines | Spring does not commit to any other compensation. Ask for the clause 7.2 services: change or refund (one free involuntary change, 8.2.1), meals or accommodation if the airline caused it or a domestic flight is delayed at a stopover or diverted, and a certificate |
| The airline refuses, or does not reply within 10 working days | File with 12326 within 6 months of the event; arbitration or court is also open directly as the law allows (the two-year limitation period for lawsuits runs from the day the aircraft arrived at its destination, should have arrived there, or the carriage ended) |
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