Flight delayed,
cancelled or overbooked?

Flight compensation and ticket refunds are two separate types of reimbursements passengers may be entitled to when a flight is disrupted.

Flight compensation is a fixed monetary amount provided under EU Regulation EC 261/2004 when a flight is cancelled, heavily delayed, overbooked, or when a missed connection is caused by the airline. This compensation is intended to cover the inconvenience and time lost due to the disruption, regardless of whether the ticket cost was refunded.

A ticket refund, on the other hand, refers to getting your money back for the price of the ticket. This typically applies when a flight is cancelled without a suitable replacement or significantly delayed, and the passenger chooses not to travel.

In some situations, you may be entitled to both compensation and a full ticket refund, depending on the nature of the disruption.

If your flight is cancelled, you may be entitled to compensation under EU Regulation EC 261/2004 — provided the airline is responsible for the cancellation and informed you less than 14 days before the scheduled departure.

When the airline is not at fault (e.g. due to extraordinary circumstances like extreme weather), you still have the right to:

• a replacement flight or rebooking,

• or a full refund of your ticket, including any additional costs such as paid seat reservations or baggage fees.

You are not obliged to accept vouchers — a cash refund is your legal right.

If the airline cancels your flight at short notice and doesn’t offer a suitable alternative, you may be entitled to both compensation and a full refund.

To qualify for compensation, the following conditions must be met:

• The cancellation must be the airline’s responsibility.

• You must have checked in on time.

• The flight must either depart from or arrive in the EU (in the latter case, the airline must be EU-based).

• The cancellation must have occurred within the last six years.

If all of these apply, you are legally entitled to claim flight cancellation compensation.

If your flight arrives at your final destination more than 3 hours late, you may be eligible for compensation under EU law, as long as the delay was caused by the airline. If the delay leads to long waiting times at the airport, the airline is required to provide complimentary snacks and drinks. This right to care is also established by EU regulations.

It's important to note: when claiming compensation for a delayed flight, only the arrival delay is taken into account — not the departure delay.

Airlines often overbook flights to maximize capacity. If you're informed that your flight is overbooked and you're unable to travel as planned, you have the right to request either a timely replacement flight, compensation, or a refund of your ticket from the airline. Additionally, if the overbooking results in a long wait at the airport, you are also entitled to receive care from the airline.

The compensation amount depends on the distance of your flight. The ticket price has no impact on the compensation you may be entitled to.

• For short-haul flights (under 1,500 kilometers), you are entitled to €250 per person under the EU Passenger Rights Regulation.

• For medium-haul flights (up to 3,500 kilometers), such as from Berlin to Mallorca, the amount is €400.

• For long-haul flights (over 3,500 kilometers), compensation can reach €600.

If your flight is cancelled due to a direct connection with Covid-19, such as government-imposed restrictions, the airline is required to refund the full ticket price within 7 days. You are not obligated to accept a voucher. However, if you accepted a replacement flight or agreed to a rebooking for a later date, you cannot additionally request a refund for the original ticket.

Because the airline is not responsible for the cancellation, compensation is not owed. However, some flights are cancelled with Covid-19 cited as the reason to avoid paying compensation. In reality, airlines sometimes cancel flights for economic reasons when bookings are low. In such cases, you may still be entitled to compensation, even if the cancellation was officially linked to Covid-19.

When air traffic controllers, airport staff, or airline employees go on strike, flight operations often face delays. In general, you retain full passenger rights even during a strike. For instance, you are entitled to alternative transportation at the earliest possible opportunity. If you experience long waiting times at the airport, the airline must provide care in the form of snacks, drinks, and, if necessary, hotel accommodation.

If your departure is delayed by more than 5 hours, you have the right to cancel your flight. In this case, the airline must refund the full ticket price. If the strike involves airline staff, you may also be entitled to compensation in the event of a cancellation or long delay.

Airlines are generally not required to pay compensation when the cause of a flight disruption is outside their control. In such cases, the delay or cancellation is said to be due to extraordinary circumstances. These may include, among other things, strikes by air traffic control or airport staff, severe weather conditions, airport or airspace closures, border shutdowns, or natural disasters.

For example, if a flight is delayed or cancelled because of a storm, passengers are not entitled to compensation. However, the airline still has certain obligations under the EU Passenger Rights Regulation.

In Germany, you can file a claim against the airline up to 3 years after the disrupted flight. The deadline is calculated from the end of the year in which the issue occurred. For example, if your flight was delayed, cancelled, or otherwise disrupted in 2021, you have until the end of 2024 to claim compensation or a ticket refund. Other countries have different time limits: in France, the period is 5 years, while in the UK it is 6 years.

The rights under the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation also apply to package tours. Therefore, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, you are entitled to compensation or a ticket refund as a package holiday customer. If your entire trip is cancelled by the travel agency, for example due to Covid-19, you have the right to a full refund of the travel costs.

To successfully enforce your claims, it is recommended to seek professional help. Passengers who try to claim compensation on their own are often ignored or sidelined by airlines. Trust experienced air passenger rights specialists like Flightright. They will assist you in asserting your rights effectively. All you need to do is provide your flight details online to Flightright. If your claim is valid, you can authorize Flightright to handle it on your behalf. The experts will then manage your case and work to secure your compensation from the airline.