Flight Delayed or Cancelled in Romania? EU261 Rights at Bucharest, Cluj and Beyond
Romania has several busy regional airports as well as the capital, and low-cost airlines carry a large share of passengers. EU261 applies to every flight departing Romania and to EU airlines flying in from outside the EU.
Main airports and airlines in Romania
Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP) is the main airport and the hub of national airline TAROM. Regional airports include Cluj-Napoca (CLJ), Iași (IAS), Timișoara (TSR) and Sibiu (SBZ). Wizz Air has large bases in Romania, and HiSky and Ryanair also fly from the country.
When EU261 applies to flights in Romania
EU261, the EU's air passenger rights law, generally applies when:
- You depart from an airport in Romania, on any airline. That includes Wizz Air flights to non-EU destinations.
- You fly into Romania from outside the EU on an airline licensed in the EU. A TAROM flight into Bucharest from outside the EU is covered.
Domestic flights such as Bucharest to Cluj are covered too.
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 (Bucharest to Cluj, about 310 km), 3 hours on flights within the EU over 1,500 km or other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km (Bucharest to Madrid, about 2,460 km), and 4 hours on longer flights (a long-haul flight over 3,500 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. Winter fog and snow can affect Romanian airports. Weather can be extraordinary, but the airline should say exactly what happened on your flight.
Where to complain in Romania
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. Romania's national enforcement body is the National Authority for Consumer Protection (Autoritatea Națională pentru Protecția Consumatorilor, ANPC) in Bucharest. It has an online complaint form in Romanian and English: anpc.ro.
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
Is a domestic flight in Romania covered by EU261? Yes. Domestic flights departing from Romanian airports are covered.
My Wizz Air flight from Cluj was cancelled two days before departure. What applies? You can choose a refund or re-routing. Because notice was under 14 days, the fixed amount may also apply unless the airline shows extraordinary circumstances or offered a close alternative.
Who enforces EU261 in Romania? The National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC).
Related guides
- EU261 guide (en español)
- Flight cancelled: your options
- Missed connection guide
- All Europe flight delay guides
Create your letter
Delay Draft writes a clear letter you send to the airline yourself ($9.99 for 1 to 2 travelers, $24.99 for 3 to 6). We are not a law firm and do not file claims for you. Questions: claims@delaydraft.com.