Last-Generation Blockades - What Travelers Can Do
In High-Visibility Vests and with Banners: Climate Activists Target Airports in Several Cities. What Rights Do Travelers Have If Their Flight Is Delayed or Cancelled?
Climate activists have disrupted air traffic at several locations in Germany, causing concern among those planning to travel by air for their summer holidays. If such protests cause delays or cancellations on your travel day, what are your rights?
What Rights Do I Have in Such a Situation?
Even in such cases, passengers have certain rights under EU Regulation 261/2004. Depending on the flight distance, passengers are entitled to a free meal and drink at the airport with a delay of two hours or more.
For delays of two hours on short-haul flights, three hours on medium-haul flights, and four hours on long-haul flights, the airline must offer an alternative means of transport to the final destination as soon as possible. This is often done automatically, or the airline may offer the option to convert the ticket into a train ticket for domestic flights.
In case of flight cancellations, passengers can choose between a refund or alternative transportation to their destination. If they choose the latter, the airline is obligated to transport them to their destination as soon as possible.
Where Can I Find More Information?
The European Consumer Centre offers a browser-based self-help tool for flight problems (selfhelp.evz.de/en/travel/flight/). The website of the German Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (bvk.de/EN/Service/Rechte_im_Flugverkehr/Rechte_im_Flugverkehr_node.html) also provides a good overview. You can also contact the centre for free if you have a dispute with an airline regarding refunds.
For detailed information, passengers can also consult the website of the consumer centres. The free Flightright app of the consumer centre NRW can help when checking claims.
Can I Claim Compensation as Damages?
Probably not in this case. According to the flight compensation portal Flightright, the protests by climate activists are likely to be considered an extraordinary circumstance. In other words, the airlines are not at fault for the problems, and therefore, they are not required to pay compensation of 250, 400, or 600 euros, as provided by EU regulations in many cases of short-notice cancellations or significant delays, depending on the flight distance.
Any claims for damages against the airport are also unlikely to succeed, as the airport would only be liable "in gross negligence of safety regulations," which is not usually expected.
What If My Package Holiday Is Delayed?
For package holidaymakers, the tour operator is the first point of contact even in cases of flight disruptions caused by climate activists. The tour operator is responsible for arranging alternative flights and covering any additional costs for food and accommodation in case of significant delays.
Despite the disruptions caused by climate activists, travelers still have certain rights when their flights are delayed or cancelled. According to EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers are entitled to a free meal and drink if their flight is delayed by two hours or more, depending on the flight distance. Furthermore, for certain delay durations, the airline must offer an alternative means of transport to the final destination as soon as possible.
