As the peak summer travel season intensifies, air passengers across Europe are facing widespread flight delays — and airlines are now subject to stricter regulatory obligations. While passengers retain their right to compensation of €250, €400, or €600 depending on flight distance and a three-hour delay threshold, a new agreement between the Council of the EU and the European Parliament significantly narrows airlines’ leeway to leave travelers uninformed, without clear procedures, or without timely responses.
The Three-Hour Rule Stands — With New Enforcement
The three-hour delay benchmark remains unchanged despite earlier proposals to extend it. However, airlines must now proactively inform passengers electronically about their rights and the claims process within 96 hours of trip completion. Even more concretely, carriers have just 30 days to respond to a compensation request — either by paying out or providing a clear, justified explanation for rejection.
Greece’s Summer Pressure Point
This EU-wide framework arrives amid mounting concerns in Greece, where airport congestion has already triggered official action. Soaring tourist traffic is straining airline schedules, takeoff and landing slots, ground handling capacity, and air traffic management. In response, a broad coordination meeting was held involving Greece’s Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), air traffic controllers, Athens International Airport (AIA), and airlines Aegean and Sky Express. Key measures under discussion include stricter adherence to allocated flight slots, avoiding over-scheduling, improving ground service coordination, and optimizing air traffic flow.
In short: Greek authorities are tackling the root causes of delays, while the EU is reinforcing accountability when delays inevitably occur.
What Passengers Are Entitled To
Compensation is triggered by arrival — not departure — delay at the final destination. The amount depends on flight distance:
- Up to 1,500 km: €250
- 1,500–3,500 km (including longer intra-EU flights): €400
- Over 3,500 km: €600
Passengers arriving more than three hours late may submit a claim — unless the delay resulted from extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control.