How Much are you Owed for Cancellations and Delays at Athens Airport?

Canceled or delayed flights from Athens Airport (ATH) can completely derail your travel plans. Not only is the wait long and frustrating, but it can also lead to monetary loss — you could miss out on important business meetings, hotel bookings, prepaid tours, concerts, and even personal events such as weddings or anniversaries. Plus, you're often left out of pocket paying for unexpected expenses such as food or other necessities.

It’s due to situations like these that EU Regulation No. 261/2004 (better known as EC 261) was established. It’s a law that gives air passengers the right to receive monetary compensation following flight disruption. Depending on the circumstances of the delay, each air passenger can expect to receive as much as US$700 in compensation, to be paid by the airline.

All flights departing from an EU airport are covered by EC 261, which is why Airport canceled flights are usually covered. You can check if your flight is covered in the table below.

Is your Flight Covered by EC 261?

So what happens after you experience delays in Athens Airport? Well, the first thing you need to check is how long the delay is expected to last. Ask the airline how long you’re expected to wait, and be sure to ask for the reason behind the delay. Sometimes, the airline will be at fault, while at other times, the disruption is beyond their control.

If the airline is responsible for the disruption, and if you arrive at your intended destination more than 3 hours late, you may be eligible for compensation. Each passenger can expect to get as much as US$700, depending on distance traveled and the total length of the delay.

When you claim for compensation for your delayed flight, you usually have up to 3 years to claim. However, it can vary from country to country, which is why it is better to submit a claim as soon as possible so that you do not miss out on the cash owed to you.

Athens Airport flight cancellations can be especially frustrating, particularly when you are left stranded at the airport. Flight cancellations are sometimes a necessity, but when they could have been avoided, you must be compensated. If a flight cancellation was the airline’s responsibility, you could get up to US$700 in compensation per passenger.

However, this only applies to flights that were canceled less than 14 days before your scheduled departure. If they gave you a heads up of more than 14 days before, the airline is not legally obligated to pay.

The airline is still obligated to provide you with an alternative flight to your destination. Alternatively, you can also choose to get your flight refunded if you no longer wish to travel.

Table shows values in € as specified in EC 261

If your flight disruption was not caused by extraordinary circumstances, the compensation amount is typically determined using the travel distance — however some exceptions do apply. We'll check the compensation amount when you start your claim.

There are times when Athens Airport cancellations or delays cannot be avoided. Some can be caused by extraordinary circumstances, that is, disruptions that were outside of the airline’s control.

Usually, continuing to operate during these situations could put passengers, flight crew, or even Airport personnel at risk, which is why the flight will have to be canceled or delayed.

Flights that are Eligible: