July 14, 2026, 5:03 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Until now, there was no fixed deadline for the payment of flight compensation. This often resulted in passengers with a legitimate claim having to wait a long time for their money. This is set to change. The EU countries have recently agreed to new rules for flight compensation. According to these, passengers must be informed electronically about possible compensation claims within four days of a delayed or canceled trip. The transfer must then be completed within about 30 days. All the details on this in this article.
Airlines Must Pay for Delays–Now in a Timely Manner
For passengers within the EU, the well-known EU Passenger Rights Regulation (EC No. 261/2004) applies. According to this, passengers are entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros for arrival delays of three hours or more, depending on the flight distance. This applies as long as there are no extraordinary circumstances. Various media recently reported that the European Parliament has approved a reform that essentially maintains the three-hour threshold for compensation. Thus, the right to compensation remains fundamentally intact.
Compensation for Flight Delays Takes Time
The regulation previously did not specify a concrete deadline by which airlines had to pay legitimate claims. This often resulted in passengers waiting months for their money. Additionally, enforcing passenger rights frequently leads to disputes.
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EU Strengthens Passenger Rights for Compensation
This potential for conflict is expected to disappear soon. From mid-2027, new binding regulations are expected to apply. As reported by “BILD,” the EU countries have finally agreed to new rules requiring airlines to inform travelers of legitimate claims within four days of arrival. They must pay the owed amount within 30 days of the claim being filed—or provide a reason if no claim exists.
What Happens if Airlines Still Pay Late?
It remains unclear what consequences a delayed payment will have if airlines do not meet the new deadlines. A ruling from the United Kingdom could be of interest in this context. A passenger there did not dispute the amount of compensation but rather whether he was entitled to interest due to the delayed payment. This was reported by the “Telegraph.” The court ruled in his favor, awarding the passenger both the compensation and late payment interest.
Could such a ruling also play a role in Germany? It is clear that British court rulings are not binding for German courts, as confirmed by attorney Jan Bartholl when asked by TRAVELBOOK. However, under German law, late payment interest can also accrue if the relevant conditions are met.