Getting Compensation for Athens Airport Cancellations And Delays

If you experience lengthy Athens Airport delays or cancellations, your flight could be eligible for compensation. This is because Athens Airport (ATH) is located within the EU, which means flights that depart from here are protected by EU Regulation No. 261/2004 — or EC 261 for short. All EU countries are covered by EC 261, including departures from special territories such as the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Martinique.

So what is EC 261 exactly? Well, it’s a law that holds airlines financially accountable when there is an unexpected flight disruption like a delay or cancellation — provided that it was not caused by circumstances outside of the airline’s control. This means that whenever a flight is heavily disrupted and the airline is found to be at fault, the carrier will have to pay their passengers a certain amount of compensation.

The Iaw also requires airlines to provide their passengers with care during the wait, which includes offering food and refreshments, and if necessary, free accommodation, transport, and alternative flights.

To learn more about your rights click here.

Does EC 261 Cover your Flight?

When you first hear about Athens Airport canceled flights, you may be wondering if you should be booking your own flight home. Fortunately, as ruled by EC 261, airlines are required to provide you with an alternative flight to your intended destination. If you’re lucky enough to get upgraded, you do not have to pay anything extra for your seat, however, if they do downgrade you, expect to get back around 30-75% of the original price of your ticket.

If your flight was canceled less than 14 days before departure, or if your flight was delayed by more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation. The exact amount that you will receive varies, but you could potentially get up to $700 per person.

You can usually claim compensation up 3 years after the flight disruption occurs, though some EU countries have shorter or longer limitation periods. Ideally, you will want to make your claim as soon as possible.

Though canceled and delayed flights from Athens Airport can happen, not all flights qualify for compensation. For example, if an airline cancels your flight and lets you know over 14 days before your departure. Likewise, delays under 3 hours don't get compensated.

Cancellations and flight delays at Airport caused by extraordinary circumstances don’t usually qualify for compensation. This is when an airline is not considered responsible for the delay or cancellation — it includes situations like severe weather conditions, natural disasters, and safety threats that could put the passengers and crew at risk. In these cases, there's no choice but to delay or cancel a scheduled flight.

Table shows values in € as specified in EC 261

The distance of your flight route can affect how much compensation you receive. The table above breaks it down for you, though in some cases exceptions may apply.

Experiencing cancellations or lengthy delays in Airport, can undoubtedly be stressful. If this happens to you, it’s important that you do not panic, and that you are armed with a good understanding of your rights.

Here are some things to remember: