Has your flight been delayed? If you arrive at your final destination with a delay of three hours or more, you may be entitled to compensation.
When am I entitled to a refund?
If the delay is more than five hours, you can decide not to travel (further) and you are then entitled to a refund of your ticket and a return flight to your original departure point. However, in the case of force majeure, these rights relapse. Nonetheless, you can hold the airline responsible for the damage that your delay has caused.
Please note, the compensation rules are only valid if:
- You arrive at your final destination with three or more hours of delay.
- You depart from the EU, or fly back to the EU with an airline that is based in the EU.
- You have a transfer from the EU to a destination outside of the EU and you are delayed.
What is Force majeure?
Force Majeure is a common clause in contracts that frees parties from liability or obligation when there are unforeseeable circumstances at play.
Examples of force majeure:
- Strikes by third parties, such as air traffic control or airport personnel
- Bad weather conditions
- Terrorism
- Landings involving a medical emergency
- Natural disasters
How much compensation are you entitled to if your flight has been delayed?
The amount of compensation lies between 125 and 600 euros per passenger, depending on the length of the flight and the delay.
| Length of flight | Delay at arrival | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| 1.500 km or less | More than 3 hours | € 250 |
| Within EU more than 1.500 km or other flights between 1.500 km and 3.500 km | More than 3 hours | € 400 |
| More than 3.500 km | Between 3 and 4 hours | € 300 |
| More than 3.500 km | More than 4 hours | € 600 |
Can I get a refund if my flight has been delayed because of the coronavirus crisis?
The European Commission has declared that airlines and travel companies must provide refunds to customers whose flights have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
