Greek farmers are blocking airports in Crete – what does this mean for travelers?

Greek farmers are blocking airports in Crete – what does this mean for travelers?

On Monday afternoon, Greek farmers blocked the airports in Heraklion and Chania on Crete. At Heraklion Airport, they occupied the runway and brought all air traffic to a standstill. In Chania, farmers blocked access to the airport terminal. Until the police finally withdrew, there were violent clashes with the police, as evidenced by overturned and demolished police vehicles and the use of tear gas.

Farmers in Greece have been protesting since the end of November. The reason for this is a delay in the payment of EU agricultural subsidies.

Travelers throughout Greece had to wait out airport closures and partially blocked border crossings. What rights and entitlements do you have if your flight was delayed or canceled due to the demonstrations?

What does this mean for travelers?

For air travel, the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EC 261/2004), which regulates the claims and rights of air passengers in cases such as flight cancellations or delays. However, whether compensation is payable always depends on the specific circumstances. In the case of the demonstrations in Greece, flight cancellations and delayed departures are classified as "extraordinary circumstances." These include political instability such as unrest or war, but also extreme weather events or strikes by air traffic controllers.

However, the airline concerned cannot simply claim that extraordinary circumstances exist. The circumstances must be proven, the delays and cancellations must be attributable to these circumstances, and the airline must have taken all measures to minimize the impact. In this case, the company is not obliged to pay compensation.

Nevertheless, as a traveler, you are entitled to a refund of your ticket costs or alternative transportation to your destination, as well as other support services such as meals, accommodation, or transfers during the waiting period. These services should be provided by the airline itself. Before you incur any expenses for rebooking, accommodation, or transfers, contact the airline. If you have to pay for meals or hotel accommodation yourself, keep all receipts and invoices so that you can claim them back.

The demonstrations in Greece are therefore a typical example of extraordinary circumstances, which is why airlines are not obliged to pay compensation. However, if you were affected by the disruptions during your trip to Greece on Monday, you are entitled to a ticket refund or alternative transportation, as well as reimbursement of accommodation, meals, or other support services.

If you were not offered these assistance services and have not received any reimbursement despite requesting it from the airline, please do not hesitate to contact apf.

We are happy to assist you with your request and are available free of charge and commission-free Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at +43 1 5050 707 740. Alternatively, you can submit your arbitration request .