EU airline passengers may claim up to €600 for delays caused by disruptive travelers

Under EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, passengers on flights departing from an EU airport are entitled to financial compensation of up to €600 when a flight arrives three hours or more late, is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, or is significantly diverted, unless the airline can prove the disruption was an extraordinary circumstance. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency reports an incident involving a disruptive passenger every three hours during the summer, with roughly 70 % involving verbal or physical aggression. The International Air Transport Association notes a similar frequency, recording one such incident per 355 flights in 2025. Airlines must demonstrate that the passenger’s behaviour was unforeseeable, directly caused the disruption, and that they took all reasonable mitigation measures. Passengers are advised to keep travel documents, record actual arrival times, request a written explanation of the delay, and avoid accepting vouchers without confirming their rights. Compensation also covers ticket refunds and, under the Montreal Convention, baggage loss or damage up to approximately €9,700.