In light of the chaos at the airport, the value of travel insurance increases

According to EU regulations, passengers are entitled to compensation in case of flight cancellation or significant delay:

For journeys of 1,500 km or less: a minimum of 250 euros for a delay of at least 3 hours.
For journeys between 1,500 and 3,500 km: a minimum of 400 euros for a delay of at least 3 hours.
For other routes: a minimum of 600 euros for a delay of at least 4 hours.

Airlines’ liability for compensation may be reduced if rebooking is offered with tolerable loss of time. In case of delays of more than two hours, they must provide refreshments and food, as well as hotel accommodation if necessary, writes the Index.

In reality, however, enforcement of the rules is often incomplete. Many passengers reported that they were not informed about their rights and options. Airlines often refuse information and rebooking assistance on the grounds that the passenger did not buy his ticket directly from them, but through an intermediary company, which is illegal.

Collecting compensation is also problematic, as airlines require submissions in a special format and often leave passengers shortchanged. Attaching the original invoices is a basic requirement, but the justification of the costs is often debated for months. The compensation process is not bound by a time limit, and passengers sometimes do not receive their rightful compensation months later.