Your air passenger rights for delays, cancellations or overbooking, clearly explained
We help you quickly find out what you are entitled to if your flight is delayed, cancelled or if you experience problems at the gate. We provide clear information and practical tools to help you enforce your rights.

- When do EU passenger rights apply?
- Tool: Find out your rights in case of flight disruptions
- Your rights in the event of flight delays
- Flight cancellation – your rights
- Exceptional circumstances that do not qualify for compensation
- Rights in the event of overbooking or denied boarding
- How to assert your rights: form and procedure
- Passengers with reduced mobility
When do EU passenger rights apply?
The regulation applies:
- If you are departing from an EU airport
- If you are landing in the EU and the airline is based in the EU
It also applies to flights to or from Iceland or Norway (EEA).
Flight Delay: Your Rights
Brief overview:
- In the event of a flight delay, your entitlement to compensation is always based on the arrival time at the destination airport
- The delay must be at least three hours
- Compensation is based on the flight distance and can be between €250 and €600
- You are also entitled to assistance, including meals, hotel accommodation and communication facilities
- Exception: No financial compensation is payable in the event of 'extraordinary circumstances' (e.g. extreme weather conditions)
Example:
The Müller family of four flies from Berlin to Madrid and arrives in Madrid 3 hours and 25 minutes late.
→ Entitlement: €400 per person (totalling €1,600).
Care services during longer waiting times
Depending on the waiting time and flight distance, you are entitled to free care services if your flight is delayed. These include:
- Drinks and meals in reasonable proportion to the waiting time
- two free phone calls, faxes or emails
This entitlement applies to:
- at least 2 hours' waiting time, and a flight distance of up to and including 1,500 km
- at least three hours' waiting time and a flight distance of over 1,500 km within the EEA
- at least three hours' waiting time and a flight distance between 1,500 and 3,500 km (outside the EEA)
- at least four hours' waiting time for all other flights over 3,500 km
If your flight is not until the next day, you are also entitled to:
- free hotel accommodation
- Transfer between the airport and hotel (return trip)
The airline must arrange this; if they do not, you can arrange it yourself and claim the costs back from the airline later.
Important: keep all receipts in a safe place!
Special case:
If there is a delay of at least five hours, you can demand a full refund of the ticket price.
Flight cancelled – your rights
If your flight is cancelled, depending on when you were informed and how the replacement flight is organised, you have various rights.
What you are entitled to:
If your flight is cancelled at short notice, you are entitled to:
- Full reimbursement of the ticket price within seven days
- Replacement transport to your destination under comparable travel conditions as soon as possible or at a later date (if seats are available)
- Compensation (see the next section), unless there are extraordinary circumstances
- Assistance: drinks and meals, hotel accommodation and transfers if necessary, and two free phone calls, faxes or emails
When am I entitled to compensation if my flight is cancelled?
Whether or not you are entitled to compensation depends on when you were informed of the cancellation and the departure and arrival times of the replacement flight offered.
Informed more than 14 days in advance? ➝ No entitlement to compensation
Informed 7 to 13 days in advance? ➝ No entitlement, if the replacement flight...
- ...departs no more than 2 hours earlier and
- ...arrives no more than 4 hours later
Informed less than 7 days in advance? ➝ No entitlement, if the replacement flight...
- ...departs no more than 1 hour earlier and
- ...arrives no more than 2 hours later
In all other cases: ➝ Entitlement to compensation
* The EEA (European Economic Area) comprises the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
What constitutes extraordinary circumstances in the event of flight delays or cancellations?
According to the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation, there is no entitlement to compensation if a flight is delayed or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.
Typical examples include: extreme weather, storms, bird strikes, natural disasters, airspace closures, a defective de-icing system, and emergency landings. In such cases, the airline is not obliged to pay compensation.
However, they must endeavour to offer alternative transport, either by rebooking you onto another flight or by providing replacement transport by train or bus. Departing from a neighbouring airport may also be a solution.
Important: rebooking should always be done in consultation with the airline. Anyone who books or cancels without consulting the airline runs the risk of having to bear the costs themselves.
If you decide not to travel, you have the right to return your ticket. The airline must refund the full flight price within seven days.
According to the ECJ, technical defects in aircraft are not considered to be extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, passengers are entitled to compensation. This applies to all technical problems that arise during the airline's normal operations. Exceptions include the recall of an aircraft by the manufacturer.
What applies in the event of a strike?
If a flight is cancelled or significantly delayed due to a strike, you generally have the same rights as for other flight disruptions. You can either claim a refund for the ticket price or request alternative transport, such as another flight or a train or bus connection at the earliest possible time and under comparable travel conditions. The airline must also cover the costs here.
If you decide not to take the flight, the refund must be made within seven days. Contact the airline directly.
If you are stranded at the airport due to the strike, you are entitled to care services (see above) as well as hotel accommodation and transport if you cannot continue your journey until the next day. Your point of contact is the airline.
Package travellers may also be able to claim a travel deficiency, which would result in a reduction in the travel price, in the event of a significant delay.
When does a strike count as an extraordinary circumstance?
Whether or not a strike is considered an extraordinary circumstance depends on who is striking and whether or not the airline could have prevented or influenced the strike.
Example: If the pilots or flight attendants of your airline are on strike, this is within the company's sphere of influence. In this case, you are entitled to compensation in addition to the rights mentioned above.
The situation is different if airport staff, air traffic controllers, or external service providers go on strike. The strike may then be considered an extraordinary circumstance, especially if the airline can prove that it has taken all reasonable measures to avoid impacting passengers.
Therefore, whether you are entitled to compensation must always be assessed on acase-by-case basis.
European Airline Complaint Forms
Airline complaint forms can be difficult to find. To help travellers find them more easily, we have compiled a list of forms for selected European airlines. Use these links to submit complaints about lost or damaged baggage, or delayed or cancelled flights.
Not allowed to board – what happens in the event of overbooking?
If a flight is overbooked, some passengers may be denied boarding. EU air passenger rights distinguish between voluntary and involuntary denied boarding. In both cases, you have rights, especially if you are unable to fly through no fault of your own.
Voluntary non-transportation
Airlines will often first ask for volunteers to give up their seats. Those who agree usually receive something in return, such as a voucher or bonus miles. Even if you voluntarily give up your seat, you can still decide how you would like to proceed:
- You can be transported to your destination at a later date under comparable travel conditions.
- You can choose the fastest possible alternative transport to your destination.
- Or you can cancel your flight altogether and receive a refund for the ticket price.
The decision is yours, not the airline's.
Involuntary denied boarding
If no passengers volunteer to give up their seat, the airline may refuse to allow individuals to board against their will. This is referred to as 'involuntary denied boarding'.
In this case, you are automatically entitled to several services.
- Compensation in accordance with EU regulations, up to €600 depending on the flight distance (see also the section 'Flight cancelled – your rights').
- Care services during the waiting period, such as meals, drinks and communication facilities.
- The option of a replacement flight or reimbursement of the full ticket price.
How to assert your air passenger rights
If your flight was delayed or cancelled, or if you were denied boarding, you can claim compensation or reimbursement of costs from the airline.
Your first step: Contact the airline
You can do this by using the online contact form, for example. Note that it does not matter who you purchased the ticket from, but rather who operated the flight – the so-called operating carrier. You will usually find this information on your ticket.
This can be confusing, especially for connecting flights with multiple airlines. If you are unsure, we will be happy to help.
How to secure your claims:
1. Inform the airline.
Notify the airline in writing that you will be asserting your claims (e.g. for compensation or reimbursement).
2. Keep receipts
Keep receipts for all expenses incurred as a result of the delay or cancellation, such as meals, hotel or taxi fares.
3. Obtain confirmation
Ask the ground staff for written confirmation of the delay, flight cancellation or denied boarding, ideally including the reason. If this is not possible, written statements from fellow passengers can also be helpful.
4. Secure evidence
Are you filling out an online form provided by the airline? If so, take a screenshot for security reasons, so that you can prove what and when you submitted.
5. Use out-of-court dispute resolution
If the airline does not respond within two months or rejects justified claims, we recommend using out-of-court dispute resolution (e.g. through Schlichtungsstelle Reise und Verkehr e.V. or the European Consumer Centre Germany). This service is free of charge.
Barrier-free travel by plane
People with disabilities or reduced mobility have the right to travel without hindrance, and assistance is available if needed. EU regulations ensure that appropriate assistance is provided free of charge at EU airports and on EU flights, provided the flight starts or ends in the EU.
Discrimination is not permitted when booking
Airlines, tour operators and travel agents may not refuse a booking simply because a passenger requires assistance. However, if refusal is necessary for safety reasons (e.g. certain medical devices or wheelchairs), those affected have two options:
- full reimbursement of the ticket price, or
- Replacement transport to the destination under comparable conditions
What assistance is available?
Assistance usually begins as soon as you arrive at the airport and is provided free of charge. To help ensure everything runs smoothly, you should notify the airline, tour operator or airport directly at least 48 hours before departure.
Typical free assistance services at EU airports include:
- Pick-up at the information desk and assistance with check-in, security and passport control
- Assistance with boarding and disembarking the aircraft
- Assistance with transfers for connecting flights
- Transport of mobility aids (e.g. wheelchairs) or certified guide dogs.
Important: If you are travelling with an electric wheelchair, check with the airline in advance to see if you can take it with you, as the type of battery is important.
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.