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Guide · as of 22 Oct 2026Flight delay compensation under EU261: what Austrian travellers can claim
If your flight reaches its final destination three hours or more late, is cancelled at short notice, or you are bumped because of overbooking, EU Regulation (EC) 261/2004 makes the airline pay a flat €250, €400 or €600 per passenger – based on flight distance, not on the ticket price. Below: the amounts as listed by the EU Commission (as of 22 Oct 2026), a calculator, examples from Vienna, and how to claim from Austria.
How much? Compensation for a delay at arrival
| Distance | Delay at final destination | Amount per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | 3 hours or more | €250 |
| over 1,500 km within the EU | 3 hours or more | €400 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (all other flights) | 3 hours or more | €400 |
| over 3,500 km (EU ↔ non-EU) | 3 to under 4 hours | €300 |
| over 3,500 km (EU ↔ non-EU) | 4 hours or more | €600 |
The same amounts (€250/400/600) apply to a cancellation you were told about less than 14 days ahead and to denied boarding because of overbooking. If the airline offers re-routing and you arrive only a little late, it may cut the amount by 50% (€125/200/300).
Source: Your Europe (EU Commission): air passenger rights (22 Oct 2026)
Does EU261 cover my flight?
- Flights within the EU – any airline.
- Departing the EU to a non-EU country (e.g. Vienna–Antalya, Vienna–Dubai) – any airline.
- Arriving in the EU from a non-EU country (e.g. Antalya–Vienna) – only with an EU airline.
- Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are included, as are e.g. the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores.
- Not if you already received compensation for the same journey under a non-EU country’s law.
Examples from Vienna
Great-circle distance between airport coordinates, rounded; airlines also use great-circle distance. Amount for a 4-hour delay at arrival.
| Vienna to | Distance | Within the EU? | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome (FCO) | 780 km | yes | €250 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | 1,275 km | no | €250 |
| Palma de Mallorca (PMI) | 1,458 km | yes | €250 |
| Heraklion, Crete (HER) | 1,587 km | yes | €400 |
| Antalya (AYT) | 1,702 km | no | €400 |
| Lisbon (LIS) | 2,305 km | yes | €400 |
| Hurghada (HRG) | 2,764 km | no | €400 |
| Tenerife South (TFS) | 3,613 km | yes | €400 |
| Dubai (DXB) | 4,223 km | no | €600 |
| New York JFK | 6,805 km | no | €600 |
| Bangkok (BKK) | 8,451 km | no | €600 |
Tenerife is more than 3,500 km away but in the EU – so the amount stays €400. Dubai and New York reach €600 only from 4 hours of delay; at 3 to 4 hours it is €300.
When does the airline not have to pay?
In extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures. The EU Commission lists air traffic management decisions, political instability, adverse weather and security risks as examples. According to the Commission, most technical problems and strikes by the airline’s own staff do not count. The airline has to prove the circumstances (e.g. with logbook extracts). Even then you keep the right to care – meals, refreshments, a hotel and transfer if you have to stay overnight – and the choice between a refund and re-routing.
How to claim – for free or with a claims service
- Keep evidence: boarding pass, booking confirmation, actual arrival time (photo of the arrivals board, app), receipts for meals, hotel, taxi.
- Claim directly from the airline that operated the flight, using its complaint form. The Austrian apf provides a template letter (in German).
- According to the apf, the airline has six weeks to reply. No reply or rejected? File a free conciliation request with the apf (Austrian agency for passenger rights), which says it helps “free of charge and commission-free”.
- Or hire a claims service such as AirHelp or Compensair: it handles the correspondence and further steps, but keeps part of the compensation if it succeeds. Read the fee before you sign.
Let a claims service check your flight
Claims service: checks your flight and pursues the EU261 claim for you. It keeps a fee from the payout – read the fee before you sign. Claiming directly with the airline is free.
Claims service for delayed, cancelled and overbooked flights. It keeps a fee from the payout – read the fee before you sign. Claiming directly with the airline is free.
Some links may be affiliate links. Commissions do not change calculator results. See the affiliate disclosure. Affiliate disclosure.
Disclosure: TripUtils earns a commission via the Travelpayouts partner network if you hire AirHelp or Compensair through these links. We have not checked the services’ fees or success rates; the free route via the airline and the apf is always open to you.
Revision of the passenger rights rules
Parliament and Council agreed on a revision in June 2026. According to the EU Commission, compensation from 3 hours of delay and the €250/400/600 amounts stay; among the changes, airlines must inform passengers of their rights within 96 hours of a disruption. The new rules apply 12 months after publication in the Official Journal – until then the current regulation applies.
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Sources
Checked on the date shown. Prices change; the provider page is what counts.
- Your Europe (EU Commission): air passenger rights (2026-10-22)
- apf (Austria): air passenger rights, free conciliation (2026-10-22)
- apf: flight delay (2026-10-22)
- apf: deadlines (2026-10-22)
- EU Commission: agreement on revised air passenger rights (15 Jun 2026) (2026-10-22)
Common questions
When does a flight delay qualify for compensation?
From 3 hours of delay at arrival at the final destination (not at departure), unless extraordinary circumstances apply. Legal basis: Art. 7 of Regulation (EC) 261/2004 and the CJEU Sturgeon ruling (per the Austrian apf).
How much compensation do I get?
€250 up to 1,500 km; €400 over 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights of 1,500–3,500 km; €600 over 3,500 km (with 4+ hours of delay; €300 for 3 to under 4 hours). Per passenger.
Does it apply to Turkish Airlines, Emirates and other non-EU airlines?
Yes, if the flight departs from the EU (or Iceland, Norway, Switzerland) – whatever the airline. For flights from a non-EU country into the EU, only if an EU airline operates the flight.
What counts as extraordinary circumstances?
According to the EU Commission, e.g. air traffic management decisions, political instability, adverse weather and security risks. Most technical problems and strikes by the airline’s own staff do not count. The airline has to prove the circumstances.
Do I need a claims service such as AirHelp?
No. You can claim directly from the airline and, if it does not pay, use the free Austrian conciliation body apf. A claims service does the work for you but keeps a fee if it succeeds.
Is EU261 about to change?
According to the EU Commission (June 2026), the revised rules keep the 3-hour threshold and the €250/400/600 amounts; they apply 12 months after publication in the Official Journal. Until then the current text applies.