When passengers file a compensation claim, one of the most common responses they receive from airlines is that the delay or cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. This explanation is often used to justify why compensation won’t be paid — and many travelers accept it at face value.

The problem is that the term extraordinary circumstances is frequently misunderstood. Airlines may use it broadly or vaguely, leaving passengers unsure whether the disruption truly falls outside the airline’s responsibility or whether EU261 compensation should still apply.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what extraordinary circumstances really mean under EU and UK regulations, how to spot when the term is being misused, and how to verify whether the airline’s claim is actually valid.

What Are “Extraordinary Circumstances”?

Under EU261 and UK261, extraordinary circumstances refer to events that are outside the airline’s control and could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

When a disruption is genuinely caused by such events, airlines are not required to pay EU flight compensation.

These circumstances typically include situations that are not part of an airline’s normal operations, such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security risks, political instability, or hidden manufacturing defects in aircraft.

What matters is not just that the event occurred, but that it was unavoidable and external to the airline’s activities.

Flight Cancellation and Flight Delay Compensation: Extraordinary Circumstances

Extraordinary circumstances affect compensation because EU and UK regulations are designed to compensate passengers only when the airline is responsible for the disruption.

If the airline can prove that an extraordinary event caused the delay or cancellation — and that it took all reasonable steps to minimize the impact — EU/UK flight compensation may be lawfully denied.

Common Examples of True Extraordinary Circumstances

Certain situations are widely recognized under EU261 and UK261 as genuine extraordinary circumstances, meaning airlines are not required to pay compensation if these events directly cause a delay or cancellation.

Severe Weather Conditions

Extreme weather that makes flying unsafe — such as heavy snowstorms, hurricanes, volcanic ash clouds, or dense fog — is considered extraordinary.

What matters is whether the weather conditions actually prevented safe flight operations, not just that the weather was poor.

Air Traffic Control Restrictions or Strikes

Delays caused by air traffic control decisions, airspace closures, or strikes involving air traffic controllers are also classified as extraordinary circumstances.

Since airlines must comply with ATC instructions and cannot influence these events, they are not held responsible for resulting disruptions.

Security Risks or Airport Closures

Security incidents, emergency evacuations, bomb threats, or sudden airport closures ordered by authorities fall outside an airline’s control. These events are treated as extraordinary because they are imposed for safety or security reasons.

Hidden Manufacturing Defects

Rare defects originating from the aircraft manufacturer — not from routine maintenance or wear and tear — may also qualify as extraordinary circumstances.

These must be truly hidden defects, typically confirmed by the manufacturer or aviation authorities, rather than standard technical issues.

In all cases, the airline must still prove that the extraordinary circumstance directly caused the disruption and that it took all reasonable measures to minimize the impact on passengers.

What Is Not Considered Extraordinary

Many disruptions are often wrongly labeled as extraordinary, even though they fall within the airline’s normal responsibilities. Under EU261 and UK261, the following situations are not considered extraordinary circumstances:

Technical Problems With the Aircraft

Most technical issues — including unexpected faults — are part of an airline’s day-to-day operations.

Courts have repeatedly ruled that these problems are the airline’s responsibility unless they stem from a rare hidden manufacturing defect.

Routine Maintenance Issues

Delays caused by maintenance checks, worn parts, or repairs discovered during inspections are not extraordinary.

Airlines are expected to maintain their aircraft properly and plan for these situations.

Crew Shortages and Staff Strikes

If a delay occurs because there aren’t enough pilots or cabin crew available, or due to strikes involving the airline’s own staff, compensation may still be owed.

These are considered operational issues within the airline’s control.

Why Airlines Often Claim Extraordinary Circumstances

Airlines frequently cite extraordinary circumstances because it allows them to avoid paying compensation. This explanation is often the fastest way to deny a claim and reject compensation.

To support this, airlines may use vague or authoritative-sounding language, such as “operational safety issue” or “circumstances beyond our control,” without clearly explaining what actually happened.

In many cases, airlines provide little or no concrete evidence to support their claim. Passengers are expected to accept the explanation without further proof — even when the situation may not legally qualify as extraordinary.

How to Check If the Airline Is Telling the Truth

You don’t have to take the airline’s explanation at face value.

There are several ways to verify whether extraordinary circumstances truly caused the disruption.

Start by comparing your flight with others departing from the same airport around the same time. If most flights operated normally, it may suggest the issue was airline-specific.

You can also use flight tracking tools to review departure and arrival data, aircraft rotation, and airport activity during the disruption.

Finally, request written confirmation from the airline explaining the exact cause of the delay or cancellation. If compensation is denied, the airline must be able to justify its decision with clear and consistent information.

If you don’t receive a proper explanation — or if the airline continues to rely on vague claims of extraordinary circumstances — you may want to work with a flight compensation company.

These specialists can independently review your flight, verify the true cause of the disruption, and handle communication with the airline on your behalf, saving you time and increasing the chances of a successful claim.

What to Do If Your Flight Compensation Claim Was Rejected

If your compensation claim is rejected, don’t assume the airline’s decision is final. There are several steps you can take to challenge it.

• Ask for detailed justification. Request a clear, written explanation of why your claim was denied. The airline should specify the exact cause of the delay or cancellation and explain why it believes compensation does not apply. Vague references to “extraordinary circumstances” are not enough — the airline must justify its decision.
• Escalate to the National Enforcement Body (NEB). If you believe the rejection is unfair, you can escalate the case to the relevant National Enforcement Body. The NEB reviews whether the airline correctly applied passenger rights regulations and can intervene if the rules were misinterpreted.
• Use a flight compensation service. Alternatively, you can turn to a flight compensation company. These services independently assess your case, gather evidence, and handle communication with the airline. They can also escalate the claim further if needed, usually on a no win, no fee basis, making this a convenient option if you don’t want to manage the process yourself.

EU Air Passenger Rights: Extraordinary vs Airline-Caused Delays

Your Rights	Delay Caused by Extraordinary Circumstances	Delay Caused by Airline Fault (Not Extraordinary)
Flight compensation	❌ Not owed	✅ Owed (if arrival is 3+ hours late or flight cancelled last minute)
Right to care	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Meals & refreshments	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Hotel accommodation (if overnight)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Transport to/from hotel	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Rebooking on a new flight (if your flight is cancelled)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Refund option (if your flight is cancelled)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Applies regardless of cause	Right to care still applies	Full passenger rights apply

Read more:

• Flight Delay Compensation
• Flight Cancellation Compensation
• Denied Boarding Compensation

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