Compensation for a delayed or cancelled European Air Charter flight

Who owes compensation - European Air Charter or the airline on your ticket?

Many flights on European Air Charter aircraft are operated under an agreement to lease an aircraft with crew (wet lease) to other airlines. The passenger buys a ticket from one airline but flies on a European Air Charter aircraft with a European Air Charter crew. The obligations under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 rest with the airline that bears operational responsibility for the flight - the one that plans it and decides to operate it. An airline that only provides the aircraft and crew does not owe compensation.

Flying on a Condor ticket but on a European Air Charter aircraft?

In summer 2026, European Air Charter is providing three Airbus A320 aircraft with crew to Condor, based in Munich. These flights are sold and operated on behalf of Condor, so if there is a delay or cancellation, compensation is usually owed by Condor, not by European Air Charter. The same applies to flights for other airlines.

When European Air Charter operates a flight in its own name - for example, a charter for a tour operator - compensation is owed by European Air Charter.

How do you find out which airline is responsible?

The first clue is the flight number on your ticket and boarding pass - a flight with a Condor flight number is usually a Condor flight, even if the aircraft belongs to European Air Charter. Neither the "operated by" note in your booking nor the logo on the aircraft is decisive on its own - what matters is which airline bears operational responsibility for the flight. If you are not sure, check your flight for free - we will establish which airline owes the compensation.

Compensation for a delayed European Air Charter flight

Passengers can claim compensation of €250 to €600 for a delayed European Air Charter flight if they reach their final destination 3 hours or more late. The arrival delay is counted until at least one of the aircraft doors is opened and passengers can leave the aircraft, not until the moment of landing.

What are your rights when your European Air Charter flight is delayed?

In extraordinary circumstances - for example, severe weather or air traffic restrictions - the airline may be released from paying compensation if it proves that this particular circumstance caused the delay of that particular flight and that the delay could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Ordinary technical faults and problems within the airline's own organisation - for example, a crew member suddenly falling ill - are, as a rule, not extraordinary circumstances.

A strike by the airline's own staff - pilots or cabin crew - is, as a rule, not an extraordinary circumstance when it concerns the employees' demands on the airline. Strikes by staff outside the airline - for example, airport security or air traffic control - may be an extraordinary circumstance, but even then the airline owes you care at the airport.

Delay caused by the previous flight - what did the General Court of the EU decide?

In 2026, the General Court of the EU examined a case against European Air Charter concerning a Düsseldorf - Varna flight that arrived more than 3 hours late. An earlier flight in the same rotation, from Cologne/Bonn, had been delayed because its passengers had a long wait at security screening, and the airline decided to wait for them. European Air Charter then rescheduled the following flights, including the Düsseldorf - Varna flight, to be operated with a replacement aircraft.

The Court held that the airline cannot rely on an extraordinary circumstance affecting the previous flight if the decisive cause of the delay to the next flight is its own decision, which it was not obliged to take - for example, to wait for late passengers. Whether compensation is owed in the specific case is for the national court to decide.

European Air Charter charter flight booked with a tour operator

Compensation is owed by the airline operating the flight even if you booked a holiday with the flight included and have no contract directly with the airline. It also makes no difference that the ticket was paid for as part of the package price. The tour operator is responsible for the package itself - for example, the hotel, the transfer and refunding the package price if the package is cancelled.

A tour operator's request to change the flight time does not in itself release the airline from paying compensation - that is a matter for the contract between the two. If the airline pays compensation because of such a change, it can seek to recover the amount from the tour operator.

Was your flight brought forward?

When a flight is brought forward by more than 1 hour from the time in your booking, it is treated as cancelled. You can then claim compensation if you were told about the change less than 14 days before the flight and the other legal conditions are met. The voucher or document from the tour operator proves a confirmed booking if it shows the flight, the airports and the departure and arrival times, even if the airline did not confirm those times to the tour operator.

If you were told 14 days or more in advance, no compensation is owed for the cancellation - whoever requested the change. When the airline communicated the change only to the tour operator, it must prove when and how you were informed.

Compensation for a cancelled European Air Charter flight

If European Air Charter cancels a flight and passengers are told less than 14 days before the scheduled departure, they can claim compensation of €250 to €600, unless the airline proves that an extraordinary circumstance caused the cancellation of that particular flight and that the cancellation could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken, or it offered re-routing that meets the conditions of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. Care - meals, refreshments and, if needed, accommodation - is owed even when the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances.

Cancelled charter: who provides a new flight and who refunds you?

When the cancelled flight is part of a package holiday, refunds are governed by the rules on package travel and are claimed from the tour operator. In practice, the tour operator usually also arranges the new flight to your final destination, while care at the airport - meals, refreshments and, if needed, accommodation - is the airline's obligation.

The compensation of €250 to €600 is owed separately from the refund and the new flight when the conditions of the Regulation are met.

How much compensation does European Air Charter have to pay?

Under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, the amount of compensation depends on the flight distance:

If you are re-routed, the airline may, under certain conditions, reduce the compensation by 50%.

Check how much compensation you can get for your European Air Charter flight

What else does European Air Charter owe you besides compensation?

If your flight is cancelled or you are denied boarding, the airline must offer you a choice between re-routing to your final destination and a refund of the ticket price. The choice is yours - the airline cannot force an alternative flight on you instead of a refund. If your flight is delayed by 5 hours or more, you have the right to give up the trip and ask for a refund of the ticket price.

If the flight is part of a package holiday, the refund is claimed from the tour operator, not from the airline.

When can you ask for a refund of your ticket?

• your flight was cancelled and you chose a refund instead of re-routing;
• your flight was delayed by 5 hours or more and you decided not to travel;
• you were denied boarding and chose a refund instead of re-routing.

The refund covers the price of the unused parts of the ticket and is due within 7 days. It is paid in cash or by bank transfer, and a voucher or credit for a future flight can only be given with your written agreement.

A ticket refund is not compensation. These are two separate rights, and getting one does not cancel the other. If your flight is cancelled or you are denied boarding, you do not lose your right to compensation under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 just because you accepted a refund of your ticket or re-routing.

What other expenses can you claim?

• the cost of meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation and transport if you waited for the delayed or replacement flight and the airline did not provide them;
• the costs you incurred to reach your final destination if you were not offered re-routing and had to arrange the journey yourself.

How does the process of collecting your compensation work?

You can follow the progress of your claim in your personal account, and we email you whenever there is a change in your case. If you have any questions, you can always contact us by phone too.

Did the airline refuse to pay you?

The airline’s refusal does not necessarily mean that you are not entitled to compensation. The reason given in the refusal is not always sufficient to release the airline from liability.

See why airlines refuse to pay compensation and how you can proceed.