Guides
Flight delayed or cancelled: your EU rights under Regulation 261/2004
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies now. Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 amends it, but applies only from 23 October 2027.
Key points
- It covers flights departing from an EU airport, and flights to the EU operated by an EU airline (Article 3).
- Cancellation and denied boarding can give a right to fixed compensation (Articles 4, 5 and 7); for long delays the Court of Justice recognised the same right from 3 hours at arrival (Sturgeon, C-402/07).
- No compensation is due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided (Article 5(3)).
- You have a right to care (meals, refreshments, a hotel if needed) and to a choice between refund and rerouting (Articles 8 and 9).
- If the airline refuses, you can complain to the national enforcement body; the European Consumer Centres help with cross-border cases.
Check your flight and create a letter
Official sources
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (checked 29.10.2026)
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 (amendment) (checked 29.10.2026)
- Sturgeon C-402/07 (checked 29.10.2026)
- European Commission: national enforcement bodies (checked 29.10.2026)
- European Commission: European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net) (checked 29.10.2026)
Last updated: 2 November 2026
Clarbee gives practical information and tools. It is not legal advice and does not replace a lawyer.