Cancellation

If a flight is cancelled, passengers are entitled to receive assistance and, depending on the circumstances, compensation.

If a flight is cancelled, the airline is required to offer the passengers:

• The choice between reimbursement of the ticket price or re-routing to their destination
• Meals and beverages in reasonable relation to the waiting time. If their onward flight is delayed until the next day (change of date), the airline is required to offer hotel accommodation (including transport) if necessary. It also has to offer passengers telecommunication facilities.

In addition, the passengers may be entitled to compensation as follows:

• 250 euros for flights with a distance of up to 1,500 kilometres
• 400 euros for flights with a distance of between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres
• 600 euros for flights with a distance of more than 3,500 kilometres

This compensation may be halved if their journey is not delayed by more than 2, 3 or 4 hours, depending on the flight distance (see above).

The requirement to pay compensation does not apply in the following circumstances:

• If the passengers have been informed at least 14 days in advance about the cancellation of the flight
• If the airline is able to demonstrate that the cancellation is attributable to extraordinary circumstances.

Further information

Links

National competent authorities passenger rights

European Commission: Air Transport

Publications

Overview of possible compensation payments and support services (PDF, 260 kB, 21.01.2016)

Legislation

Verordnung über eine gemeinsame Regelung für Ausgleichs- und Unterstützungsleistungen für Fluggäste