Flight Delay in Germany: EU261 Rules at Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin
Germany is one of the most searched countries for flight delay rules, and for good reason: Frankfurt and Munich are huge hubs, and airport warning strikes have shut down whole terminals. Here is how EU261 works for flights to and from Germany, and where to go if the airline does not respond.
Main airports and airlines in Germany
Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC) are the hubs of Lufthansa. Berlin Brandenburg (BER), Düsseldorf (DUS), Hamburg (HAM), Cologne Bonn (CGN) and Stuttgart (STR) are also major airports. Other German airlines include Eurowings, Condor, Discover Airlines and TUIfly.
When EU261 applies to flights in Germany
EU261, the EU's air passenger rights law, generally applies when:
- You depart from an airport in Germany, on any airline. That covers, for example, a US airline flying Frankfurt to Chicago.
- You fly into Germany from outside the EU on an airline licensed in the EU. A Lufthansa flight from Chicago into Frankfurt is covered; a non-EU airline flying the same route into Germany generally is not on that leg.
On a connecting itinerary booked on one ticket, such as Berlin via Frankfurt to Chicago, the distance and delay are generally measured to the final destination.
Delays: care, re-routing and refunds
The airline must offer care (food and drink, two calls or emails, and a hotel with transfers if an overnight stay is needed) after a 2-hour delay on flights up to 1,500 km (Berlin to Frankfurt, about 430 km), 3 hours on flights within the EU over 1,500 km or other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km (Munich to Lisbon, about 1,980 km), and 4 hours on longer flights (Frankfurt to Chicago, about 6,970 km). If the delay reaches 5 hours, you may give up the trip and request a refund. For a cancellation, the airline must let you pick a refund or re-routing.
The fixed amounts in the regulation
EU261 also lists fixed amounts tied to distance, not ticket price: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger. They are relevant when you reach your final destination 3+ hours late, your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you are bumped. The airline can halve the €600 amount in some cases when arrival is within 4 hours of schedule. What applies to you depends on the facts.
Extraordinary circumstances and local disruptions
An airline can refuse the fixed amounts if it proves extraordinary circumstances: events beyond its control, like dangerous weather, ATC decisions or strikes, or security alerts. Ordinary technical problems and walkouts by its own employees have generally not qualified at the EU Court of Justice. Meals and hotels are still required. The ver.di union regularly calls warning strikes at German airports. On 18 March 2026, a warning strike stopped all regular passenger flights at Berlin Brandenburg, affecting about 445 flights and 57,000 passengers. Strikes by airport staff who do not work for the airline are often argued to be extraordinary, while strikes by the airline's own staff generally are not. Either way, the airline must offer care and a refund or re-routing.
Where to complain in Germany
Write to the airline first and keep a copy. If that does not resolve it, contact the national enforcement body in the country where the problem happened. Germany's national enforcement body is the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), Nationale Beschwerde- und Durchsetzungsstelle Fluggastrechte (National Enforcement Body Air Passenger Rights), in Braunschweig. It has information and complaint forms in German and English: lba.de.
Coming in 2027: Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 amends EU261. Most changes apply from 23 October 2027, including a general nine-month deadline for compensation requests. Until then, the current rules above apply.
FAQ
What are the flight delay compensation rules in Germany? Germany applies EU261. It sets fixed amounts of €250, €400 or €600 by distance for arrival delays of 3+ hours caused by something within the airline's control, plus care while you wait.
My flight from Berlin was cancelled because of an airport strike. What can I ask for? A refund or re-routing, plus meals and a hotel if needed. Whether the fixed amounts apply depends on whose staff were striking and the facts of the day.
Who do I complain to in Germany? The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), after you have written to the airline.
Related guides
- EU261 guide (en español)
- Flight cancelled: your options
- Missed connection guide
- All Europe flight delay guides
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