Flight Delay from Košice: Passenger Rights to Compensation

Was your flight from Košice delayed, or was it cancelled just before departure? Under EU Regulation No. 261/2004, passengers have specific rights – from free refreshments while you wait to financial compensation of 250 to 600 euros. This article summarises when you are actually entitled to compensation, when you are not, and how to claim it in Slovakia.

The regulation protects passengers on all flights departing from an airport in an EU member state – including departures from Košice Airport, regardless of destination or carrier. It applies equally to scheduled and charter flights, including flights operated by Ryanair, the largest carrier operating from Košice. You can check the current flight schedule and the status of a specific flight before heading to the airport.

Flight delay: how many hours before you are entitled to compensation

A delayed departure alone does not automatically entitle you to compensation. What matters is your arrival time at the final destination. According to the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU (the so-called Sturgeon ruling), passengers whose arrival is delayed by 3 hours or more are entitled to the same compensation as for a cancelled flight. The amount of compensation depends on the flight distance:

250 euros – flights up to 1,500 km,
400 euros – flights within the EU over 1,500 km and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km,
600 euros – flights over 3,500 km outside the EU.

The entitlement is not linked to the price of the ticket or to whether you travelled with a promotional ticket – the compensation is a flat amount, the same for all passengers within a given distance band.

Flight cancellation: when you get compensation and when only a refund

In the case of a cancelled flight, your entitlement depends on how far in advance the airline informed you. If you were notified of the cancellation more than 14 days before departure, you are generally only entitled to choose between a refund of the ticket price or rerouting to another flight – no financial compensation is paid. If you were notified less than 14 days in advance (with exceptions relating to an alternative flight departing and arriving at a similar time), you are entitled to the same compensation of 250–600 euros as for a delay. In both cases, you also always have the right to a refund of the ticket price or rerouting to your final destination under comparable conditions.

Extraordinary circumstances: when compensation does not apply

An airline can be released from its obligation to pay compensation if it proves that the delay or cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. These typically include severe weather, air traffic control strikes, security risks, or air traffic management decisions beyond the carrier’s control. A technical fault with the aircraft, on the other hand, is in most cases not considered an extraordinary circumstance, since it is regarded as a normal operational risk for an airline. The burden of proof always lies with the carrier – if it relies on extraordinary circumstances, it must prove them.

Right to care while you wait at the airport

Regardless of whether you ultimately receive financial compensation, in the event of a longer delay or a cancelled flight you are entitled to free care from the airline:

refreshments and meals appropriate to the length of the wait,
two free phone calls, emails, or faxes,
hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is necessary, including transport between the airport and the hotel.

If you plan to step out of the terminal while you wait, it is worth checking the parking options or transport to the airport in advance, so you can organise yourself without stress if your flight is rescheduled.

How and by when to claim your entitlement

You should first submit your claim directly to the airline – in writing, with the flight number, date, and a description of the situation. If the carrier does not respond or unjustifiably rejects your claim, in Slovakia the supervisory authority for air passenger rights is the Slovak Trade Inspection (SOI), to which you can address a complaint. The right to compensation is time-barred after two years from the date of the flight, so do not delay unnecessarily, and keep your boarding passes, booking confirmations, and any correspondence with the carrier. You can find answers to further common questions in our FAQ section.

Is a change to the rules coming?

Regulation 261/2004 is currently undergoing its first major revision since it was introduced. In 2026, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a provisional political agreement on amending it. Based on the information available so far, the current 3-hour delay threshold for compensation and the amounts of 250–600 euros should remain unchanged, while the reform is mainly expected to bring clearer claims procedures and stronger passenger protection. The agreement still has to go through formal approval, and the new rules are expected to apply later. Until then, the rules described above remain in force – so before you travel, also take a look at the current destinations available from Košice.

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