---
title: "What are Extraordinary circumstances? | Benefit Systems"
description: "Extraordinary circumstances are events outside an airline's control that remove the entitlement to statutory compensation."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What are Extraordinary circumstances?

Extraordinary circumstances are events outside an airline’s control that remove the entitlement to statutory compensation.

## How it works #

Weather, third-party strikes, security incidents and orders from authorities are typically accepted. Technical faults arising from normal operations are generally not, according to case law, and neither are the airline’s own staffing shortfalls. The burden of proof lies with the airline, and a blanket assertion in a rejection letter does not discharge it.

## Not to be confused with #

Extraordinary circumstances are not a reason to withhold duty of care: care obligations apply regardless of what caused the delay.

## In German #

The German term is Außergewöhnlicher Umstand. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/aussergewoehnlicher-umstand)

## Related terms #

- [Flight compensation](/en/glossary/flight-compensation): Flight compensation is a flat statutory payment owed by the airline for cancellation, long delay or denied boarding, scaled by flight distance.
- [EU passenger rights regulation](/en/glossary/eu-passenger-rights-regulation): The EU passenger rights regulation is the European law governing claims for cancellation, long delay and denied boarding, regardless of ticket price.
- [Irregular operations](/en/glossary/irregular-operations): Irregular operations describe a situation in which an airline’s schedule breaks down broadly, through weather, strikes or a systems failure.

## Articles that use this term #

- [How much are you owed for a delayed flight?](/en/knowledge/us-delay-compensation)
- [What do you do first when your flight is cancelled?](/en/knowledge/flight-cancelled-what-to-do)
- [What do US airlines owe you when your flight is cancelled?](/en/knowledge/us-cancellation-rights)
- [What are you owed when you’re denied boarding?](/en/knowledge/denied-boarding)