Brussels – Air carriers do not have to compensate their passengers for delays caused by collisions between aeroplanes and birds, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday.
The EU court decided that bird strikes count as “extraordinary circumstance” exempting airlines from EU laws requiring them to compensate customers for cancellations or delays.
The ruling was handed down in a case brought by a Czech couple whose flight had been delayed by more than five hours due to a mechanical problem and a subsequent bird strike.
Under a 2004 EU consumer protection regulation, airlines are required to offer compensation ranging from 250 to 600 Euros depending on the length of the flight for substantial delays.