EU261 may apply to a flight departing the EU, and to certain flights arriving in the EU when operated by an EU carrier. The operating carrier, flight direction, itinerary and flight date matter. A round-trip ticket does not make the rule apply identically in both directions.
Compensation and care are different
For a qualifying long arrival delay or cancellation, the familiar distance bands are €250, €400 and €600. They are conditional reference amounts, subject to scope, the actual arrival delay, notice, extraordinary circumstances and possible reductions. Departure delay alone does not establish a fixed payment.
Care can include meals, communication and, when necessary, overnight lodging and transport. A five-hour departure delay may create a refund choice if the passenger abandons the trip. Extraordinary circumstances can affect fixed compensation without automatically ending care or rerouting duties.
Cancellation notice and claim path
Keep the original schedule, the cancellation notice and any replacement flight offer. EU cancellation compensation can depend on the 14-day and 7-day notice windows and on the substitute flight's departure and arrival times. Start with the operating airline, then use the appropriate enforcement body or ADR route if the reply remains unresolved.
Rule version
Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 states an application date of October 23, 2027. Do not use its future procedures automatically for a 2026 flight.
Official sources
- Air passenger rights — European Union / Your Europe
- Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 — EUR-Lex
- McDonagh C-12/11, Press Release 8/13 — Court of Justice
- Germanwings C-452/13 — Court of Justice / EUR-Lex