What is Irregular operations?

Irregular operations describe a situation in which an airline’s schedule breaks down broadly, through weather, strikes or a systems failure.

Also called: IRROPS.

How it works#

The difference from a single disruption is what matters in practice: there are no spare seats, phone lines are jammed and airport hotels are full. Acting early and independently, finding alternatives, rebooking online, saving receipts, beats standing in the queue. Statutory entitlements are unchanged; enforcing them simply takes longer.

Not to be confused with#

Irregular operations are not the same as extraordinary circumstances: the former describes the situation, the latter is a legal test that removes the compensation claim.

In German#

The German term is Irreguläre Betriebslage. German version of this term

Related terms#

• Duty of care: Duty of care covers meals, means of communication and, where needed, accommodation and transfers that an airline owes during a wait.
• Re-routing: Re-routing is the airline’s obligation after disruption to get the passenger to the booked final destination, if necessary by another route.
• Extraordinary circumstances: Extraordinary circumstances are events outside an airline’s control that remove the entitlement to statutory compensation.

Articles that use this term#

• What do you do first when your flight is cancelled?
• When must an airline rebook you on a competitor?
• When does an airline have to pay for your hotel and meals?