Hannover Airport

Hannover Airport is also known as Hannover-Langenhagen International Airport. It is located in the town of Langenhagen, 11 kilometres north of Hannover, in northern Germany.

With nearly 4 million passengers in 2022, it is the 8th busiest airport in Germany by passenger numbers and the 9th largest by area. Before the pandemic, traffic had risen to over 6 million passengers before plummeting. Since then, traffic has gradually resumed. New routes are planned from 2024.

25 airlines operate here. Eventually, they will serve up to 63 destinations in 24 different countries.

15 of these fall under European regulations. Here's what that means for your rights.

Hannover Airport and European regulations

As a German airport, Hannover-Langenhagen is fully subject to European law. This includes a supplementary text to international conventions.

This is Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. This regulation applies to:

all flights departing from the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland;
all flights to the same community area, operated by an airline based there.

At Hannover Airport, 12 airlines are based outside the European community area. When these airlines operate flights from third countries, they are not subject to European law.

However, there are two exceptions:

Air Serbia: Serbia is not part of the European Union, but it is a candidate for membership. It has incorporated Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 into its national law. Therefore, it applies to flights from Belgrade.
British Airways: flights from London-Heathrow are not covered by this regulation, but by UK261. Enshrined in British law, it provides similar rights.

What are your rights at Hannover Airport?

If you experience a disruption at Hannover Airport, you are entitled to certain rights. These are guaranteed by international civil aviation conventions. The European regulations provide additional guarantees.

If you arrive at boarding with a valid ticket and documents, the airline must take care of you until you reach your destination.

There may be instances where they cannot do so. Your flight may be cancelled or overbooked. In such cases, the airline must offer you an alternative flight. This must be under the same conditions (no downgrading and of similar duration).

In the event of a significant delay, you are also entitled to material assistance: if you need to have an extra meal at the airport, it will be covered by the airline. The same applies if you need to stay overnight at a hotel. Finally, you are entitled to two phone calls.

In the event of cancellation, overbooking or a delay of more than 5 hours, you have the right to request a full refund. Be aware that this means forfeiting your journey. You also waive any right to assistance.

Finally, in the case of a significant delay, overbooking, or cancellation, you can request compensation.

Claim compensation, Delayed is here to help

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides for a fixed compensation for delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flights. This is not automatic: you must apply for it.

Depending on the circumstances, the amount can range from €125 to €600.

Not sure how to proceed? Delayed can assist you with the process.