"Extraordinary circumstances" is the airline industry's favourite get-out-of-jail-free card. When your flight is delayed or cancelled, this phrase is often the first thing you hear. But what does it actually mean — and when are airlines just using it as an excuse?
Under EU261, airlines don't have to pay compensation if the disruption was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" — events that are:
The key word is "unavoidable." If the airline could have prevented the disruption through reasonable planning, it's not extraordinary.
| Situation | Usually Valid? |
|---|---|
| Severe weather (airport closed) | ✅ Yes |
| Air traffic control strike | ✅ Yes |
| Security threats at airport | ✅ Yes |
| Political instability | ✅ Yes |
| Medical emergency on board | ✅ Yes |
| Bird strike damaging aircraft | ✅ Usually yes |
| Runway closure (not airline fault) | ✅ Yes |
| Situation | Valid Excuse? |
|---|---|
| Technical defect / mechanical fault | ❌ No |
| Staff shortage | ❌ No |
| Late incoming aircraft (cascading delay) | ❌ No |
| Pilot sick (unless very specific cases) | ❌ Usually no |
| Overbooking | ❌ No |
| Fuel planning error | ❌ No |
| IT system failure | ❌ No |
| Cleaning taking longer than expected | ❌ No |
| Baggage loading issues | ❌ No |
| Weather at origin airport hours ago | ❌ No |
This is the most common — and most often incorrect — excuse. Airlines say "technical issue" hoping passengers will assume it means something extraordinary.
The reality: Technical defects are part of normal airline operations. Aircraft need maintenance. Parts fail. These are foreseeable risks of running an airline.
Court rulings: Multiple European courts have ruled that technical faults are the airline's responsibility and do not constitute extraordinary circumstances.
Weather is legitimate — but only when it's actually severe enough to disrupt operations.
Not valid:
- A storm that passed 3 hours ago
- Light rain or fog (airports have instruments for this)
- Weather at a different airport affecting your flight
- "Weather" cited without specifics
Valid:
- Airport officially closed due to weather
- ATC grounds all flights due to conditions
- Lightning preventing ground crew from working
ATC restrictions can be extraordinary — but only when they're genuinely outside the airline's control.
Not valid:
- ATC delays due to the airline's own late arrival
- ATC slot restrictions the airline should have planned for
Valid:
- ATC strike
- ATC system failure
- Security-driven ground stop
A single pilot calling in sick is not extraordinary — airlines should have backup crews. System-wide illness affecting multiple staff might qualify, but this is rare.
Airlines know most passengers won't challenge a rejection. The playbook:
When you ask for specifics, many airlines suddenly can't provide evidence — because the extraordinary circumstances don't actually exist.
Under EU261, if an airline claims extraordinary circumstances, you have the right to:
- Request specific details of the circumstance
- Ask for evidence (weather reports, ATC notices, etc.)
- Challenge the claim if evidence is insufficient
EU Court of Justice ruled that technical problems are inherent to airline operations and do not count as extraordinary circumstances.
Court ruled that a volcanic ash cloud was extraordinary — but airlines still had duty of care obligations (meals, hotel).
Court confirmed that a bird strike is generally an extraordinary circumstance — but compensation may still be due if the airline's response was unreasonable.
According to passenger rights data:
- 60-70% of initially rejected claims are successful on appeal
- Claims escalated to national enforcement bodies have even higher success rates
- Airlines often drop the "extraordinary circumstances" claim when faced with legal action
ClaimPlane knows which excuses are real and which are nonsense. We challenge airline rejections, request evidence, and escalate to enforcement bodies when needed.
👉 Check Your Flight — If your claim was rejected, we can still help.
"Extraordinary circumstances" is not a magic word. Make airlines prove it.