BER had to on Thursday cease flight operations due to a climate protest action. Several activists stayed in the non-public area of ​​the airport, so runways had to be closed. In the event of delays, the airline must provide substitute services such as alternative transport, meals or accommodation.

Numerous flight delays and cancellations have occupied travelers since the summer. Strikes and staff shortages caused many problems at airports in Germany and Europe. Now protests by climate protection movements are causing further problems. But air travelers are not defenseless at the mercy of neither activists nor airlines, as passenger rights expert Julián Navas from AirHelp explains:

“Passengers are entitled to alternative transport if they are delayed more than three hours. The rebooking to another flight must be implemented by the operating airline itself. If the airline does not take action of its own accord, affected passengers should set a deadline of three hours after the scheduled departure time. If the request is still not fulfilled, travelers can look for their own alternatives and charge the airline for the costs. If the delay is more than five hours or carriage is carried out at a later point in time, the airline is also obliged to reimburse the full ticket price. In the case of delays of more than two hours and a flight distance of more than 1.500 kilometers, the operating airline must provide passengers with meals and drinks at the airport. In addition, two phone calls or the sending of two e-mails must be possible. If necessary, the airlines must also provide accommodation and facilitate transport there.”

Passengers have these rights according to EC 261

Flight cancellations and delays can entitle you to compensation payments of up to 600 euros per passenger. The amount of the compensation payment is calculated from the length of the flight route. The rightful claim for compensation depends on the actual length of the delay at the destination and the reason for the canceled or delayed flight. Affected passengers can assert their claim for compensation retrospectively, up to three years after their flight date.

Extraordinary circumstances such as storms or medical emergencies can result in the operating airline being released from the obligation to compensate. Both announced and unannounced strikes are not included.

Navas comments on the obligation to compensate: "In the event of blockade actions, many travelers from Germany will not be able to take their booked flight as planned, but since problems in the flight process caused by such actions are not the fault of the airline, passengers are not entitled to compensation."