Most air travelers using Stuttgart Airport (LHR) are protected by European air passenger rights law (EU Regulation No. 261/2004). That's because under EC 261 it doesn't matter where you're from, you just need to have departed from an EU airport, or to have flown into one on an EU airline. The regulation also covers the EEA and 'outermost regions', like the Azores, Canary Islands, and Guadalupe.
That means that if your airline was responsible for the delays at Stuttgart Airport, you're owed a payout of
up to $700 (€600) per person.
The law applies to previous delayed and canceled flights too - typically you can claim for flights from up to 3 years ago.
Are you Protected by EC 261?
So you've been stuck waiting because there are delayed flights from Stuttgart Airport. Whether or not you're owed compensation hinges on a few factors.
Firstly, it is whether the delays in Stuttgart Airport are something your airline is expected to take responsibility for. If the delays are due to
extraordinary circumstances, such as an unexpected incident at Stuttgart Airport, or bad weather affecting departures, then the airline can't be expected to shoulder the responsibility as these situations were outside their control.
It also depends on how long the delay was — and when it comes to eligibility, it is the time that you finally arrived at your destination that matters. Under EC 261, you can claim up to $700 (€600) if your flight arrived
over 3 hours later than its original schedule.
To make understanding eligibility for flight compensation simple we've built a
compensation check tool which easily tells you how much you are owed. Or you can check our page on
flight delay compensation.
When there are Stuttgart Airport flight cancellations, passengers are protected by regulation EC 261. Regardless of why the flight was canceled, the airline is still responsible for its passengers, and must offer them alternative transportation or a refund.
Once the immediate issue of how to get to your destination is dealt with, passengers should also make sure to find out whether they are entitled to additional compensation as well. In some cases travelers could receive a payout of
up to $700 (€600) per person.
If Stuttgart Airport canceled flights, as opposed to your airline, the additional payout is unlikely. That's due to a clause about
extraordinary circumstances, which says airlines shouldn't have to pay compensation for necessary cancellations caused by events outside of their control. That typically covers cancellations due to airport incidents and bad weather conditions.
When your flight was canceled is also important. Compensation is owed if the airline canceled your flight less than 2 weeks before departure, and weren't able to put you on a similar replacement.
Naturally, the law says a lot more about flight cancellation compensation than just the above — there's more information on our
dedicated page.
This table shows you how much compensation you could be owed if your flight is eligible for compensation. To make sure all the surrounding circumstances are fully taken into account, fill in your details in our
free compensation check.
