Flight cancelations and delays: Conditions to return compensation in 2024

Who is entitled to compensation under EU rules

The EU established Regulation EC 261/2004 to protect passengers' rights. This regulation sets the rules that airlines must follow and clearly outlines the compensation passengers are entitled to in case of flight cancellations or delays.

However, not all passengers are eligible for compensation in these situations.

According to Regulation EC 261/2004, EU passenger rights apply to the following groups of travelers who face flight-related issues:

• Passengers flying within the EU on flights operated by either EU or non-EU airlines.
• Passengers flying into the EU from outside the bloc on an EU airline.
• Passengers depart from the EU to a third country on flights operated by EU or non-EU airlines.

You are also entitled to compensation for flight delays under the following circumstances:

1. If you miss a connecting flight while traveling from an EU member country and arrive at your final destination three hours or more late.
2. If you take a flight from a different airport than initially planned and it arrives late.
3. If you are traveling from a non-EU country to an EU country on connecting flights operated by EU airlines, there is a significant delay in reaching your final destination.

Photo: Depending on the circumstances, passengers can receive from 25-0 to 600 euros in compensation for flight cancellation or delay (Getty Images)

Compensation ranges from €250 to €600: How much you can get

Passengers whose flights are canceled are entitled to compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the distance to the destination:

• €250 for canceled flights up to 1500 kilometers.
• €400 for canceled flights over 1500 kilometers within the EU and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometers.
• €600 for canceled flights over 3500 kilometers.

In case of a canceled flight, passengers have the right to choose between reimbursement, rerouting, or a refund of the ticket cost. All passengers notified of the flight cancellation less than 14 days before departure are eligible for compensation.

If you are offered rerouting and you reach your final destination with a delay of up to four hours, the compensation amount may be reduced by 50%.

When passengers are not entitled to compensation

• If you are notified of the flight cancellation more than 14 days in advance, you are not entitled to compensation.
• You are not entitled to compensation if you missed a connecting flight due to a security check and did not meet the boarding time.
• If you are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before departure and offered rerouting that allows you to take another flight within an hour of the initially scheduled departure or reach your destination less than two hours after the expected arrival time.
• If you are informed between two weeks and seven days before departure and offered to reroute, you can depart no more than two hours before the initially scheduled departure time and reach the destination less than four hours after the expected arrival time.
• Compensation may not be provided if your flight is canceled due to extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather conditions, political instability, security risks, etc.

Previously, Turkish airline Southwind Airlines has been banned from flying in EU airspace due to its Russian management links, resulting in strict sanctions.