Cancelled or delayed flight this summer? Here's what compensation you're entitled to by law

Summer is peak travel season, and with it comes the frustration of delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flights. If you are flying to or from Bulgaria this year, European law gives you clear, enforceable rights, including up to 600 euros in compensation per passenger. You can claim it yourself, without paying a middleman a commission.

Which flights are covered?

The key piece of legislation is EU Regulation 261/2004. It applies in two broad situations: when your flight departs from an airport inside the European Union, regardless of which airline is operating it, or when your flight arrives at an EU airport and is operated by an EU-registered carrier. That covers virtually every scheduled flight in and out of Sofia, Varna, or Burgas on a European airline, and any flight from a European city back to Bulgaria.

The regulation protects passengers in three scenarios: being denied boarding against your will due to overbooking, outright cancellation of your flight, and significant arrival delays.

How much compensation?

According to Dariknews, the amounts are fixed by the regulation and depend on route distance. For flights up to 1,500 kilometres, passengers are entitled to 250 euros. For flights within the EU above 1,500 kilometres, and for all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, the amount is 400 euros. For any flight over 3,500 kilometres, the full 600 euros applies. If the airline offers rerouting that limits your delay, the regulation allows a reduction of these amounts.

The right to compensation for delays was not written into the original regulation text. It was established by the European Court of Justice in the Sturgeon ruling of 2009, which confirmed that passengers arriving at their final destination more than three hours late have the same right to compensation as those whose flights were cancelled outright.

As a general rule, you can make a claim when your flight arrives more than three hours late, when a cancellation is announced fewer than 14 days before your departure date, or when you are denied boarding through no fault of your own.

The catch: extraordinary circumstances

This is where most disputes between passengers and airlines arise. The regulation requires compensation only when the disruption falls within the airline's own sphere of responsibility. If the cause is classified as an extraordinary circumstance, the carrier can be legally exempt from paying.

Extraordinary circumstances typically include severe weather, political instability, security risks, or strikes by workers outside the airline's control. Most technical faults that arise during normal aircraft operation and maintenance are generally not considered extraordinary, meaning the airline usually cannot use a routine mechanical problem as grounds to avoid paying.

Always ask the airline for a written explanation of the reason for your disruption. That document is your starting point for any claim. Beyond financial compensation, the regulation also entitles you to meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodation where relevant while you wait.

For Bulgarians living abroad, the annual summer trip home carries real financial weight. Knowing your rights before you travel means you have recourse if plans fall apart.