Flight compensation Olympic Airlines:
Madrid — Athens

How to be compensated by Olympic Airlines on the Madrid (MAD) - Athens (ATH) line

No one likes waiting for hours at the airport. If Olympic Airlines did not respect its scheduled times for your Madrid - Athens flight, the law is on your side.

Thanks to the European CE 261 text, passengers who are victims of these issues on a trip of 2 377 km have the right to demand flat-rate compensation from the carrier.

Why are you entitled to 400 €?

The European Regulation EC 261/2004 is very strict regarding air passenger rights. The amount of fixed compensation does not depend on the price of your ticket, but only on the flight distance.

This flat-rate scale was designed to discourage airlines from changing their schedules without compelling reasons. Do not hesitate to assert this little-known but powerful regulation.

How to know if the flight Olympic Airlines Madrid - Athens is eligible?

The 3-hour limit is calculated at the moment the aircraft doors open at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport airport. If this is the case, and the flight cancellation is not due to extraordinary circumstances, Olympic Airlines owes you 400 €.

The compensation also covers boarding denials (overbooking). If Olympic Airlines sold more seats than planned and you stay on the tarmac at Madrid Barajas International Airport, the 400 € compensation is automatic.

What are the conditions for Olympic Airlines to compensate you?

• Delay at arrival: You arrived with more than 3 hours delay at Athens.
• Cancellation: The airline cancelled the flight less than 14 days before departure.
• Overbooking: You were denied boarding against your will at Madrid airport.
• Airline responsibility: The problem must be attributable to Olympic Airlines (technical problem, sick crew, scheduling...).

The impact of a strike on your Olympic Airlines compensation

Not all strikes exempt the company from its obligations. If the delay of your Madrid - Athens trip is due to an internal strike within Olympic Airlines, the European justice recently ruled that this entitles to compensation.

A strike by weather services at Madrid Barajas International Airport or European air traffic control is an external cause over which Olympic Airlines has no control.

What are your rights at Madrid airport in case of prolonged wait?

In addition to financial compensation, the European regulation guarantees what is called a 'right to care.' If your flight is delayed departing from Madrid Barajas International Airport, Olympic Airlines must provide you with free meals and refreshments in reasonable quantity given the delay.

Some passengers are unaware that transportation between the hotel and Madrid Barajas International Airport terminal is also included in the legal package due by Olympic Airlines.

Steps: how to get your 400 € from Olympic Airlines?

Getting justice against carrier Olympic Airlines requires perseverance. No response or standardized refusals are common tactics.

To maximize your chances of success, use a collection service. These experts know the case law perfectly and will not be intimidated by the legal department of Olympic Airlines.

How long does it take to get the 400 € compensation?

Patience is often the watchword. Airlines receive thousands of requests weekly and processing your file for the flight from Madrid to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport can drag on if you don't follow up.

By entrusting the recovery of your 400 € to a trusted third party, you save yourself months of waiting and the anxiety of seeing your case closed without follow-up, as reminders are managed by aviation law professionals.

What to do faced with silence or refusal from the airline?

Don't take Olympic Airlines's email for granted claiming that the airport was blocked by snow without checking official reports.

In the last instance, it is the summons to court that often unlocks the payment. The company Olympic Airlines will always prefer to compromise and pay the 400 € rather than incur additional legal costs for a lost cause in court.