apf informed: Flight irregularities to be expected due to NATO exercise
Vienna. The large-scale closures of German airspace in the course of the NATO exercise "Defender 2023" couldlead to irregularities in civil aviation throughout Europe. Scheduled aircraft will not be able to use the closed airspace at the time of the maneuvers and will probably be diverted. From an Austrian perspective, this mainly affects travelers to/from Germany, the Benelux countries, the British Isles and Scandinavia.
The German Air Force is making every effort to keep the restrictions for civilian air traffic as low as possible. The media report unanimously that no air traffic will be possible in the air training areas in northern, southern and eastern Germany for around two hours a day during the exercise. Delays and flight cancellations are to be expected due to flying around the exercise areas and the airspace closures.
Rights in the event of flight cancellations:
If a flight is canceled due to the NATO exercise, travelers have the right to alternative transportation, reimbursement of flight costs, care services and compensation payments, among other things.
Airlines are obliged to re-route passengers as soon as possible. This applies in particular if the route is not only served by one airline and alternative transportation (bus, train) would be possible. If the airline does not meet its obligation to re-route passengers, passengers can also book a comparable alternative means of transportation themselves. The additional costs of such transportation must then be borne by the airline. So even if no planes can take off due to the NATO exercise, a rail connection may also be a reasonable alternative.
Passengers may also be entitled to a compensation payment in the event of a last-minute cancellation - this amounts to between 250 and 600 euros and depends on the flight route.
Rights in the event of delays:
If a flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late due to the NATO exercise, passengers may also be entitled to compensation. This depends on the route flown and amounts to between 250 and 600 euros - regardless of the cost of the ticket.
Is the NATO exercise an "exceptional circumstance"?
If "extraordinary circumstances" exist, airlines are exempt from the obligation to pay compensation.
An airline must first take all possible and reasonable measures to minimize the delay - if this is not possible for reasons beyond the airline's control, this is referred to as an extraordinary circumstance.
Whether the NATO exercise falls into this category must be examined on a case-by-case basis. If the airline invokes an extraordinary circumstance, it must also provide evidence of this.