In recent weeks, air travelers around the world have experienced an increasing number of irregularities in air traffic. These ranged from IT failures at several airlines to protests at Vienna Airport that disrupted flight operations. Such incidents raise the question of what rights passengers have in such situations and what obligations airlines must fulfill. In the European Union, these rights are clearly regulated by the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation. A major incident was the global failure of check-in systems, which affected several airlines and led to significant delays. IT failures can be classified as "extraordinary circumstances", which exempts airlines from the obligation to pay compensation. According to the EU regulation, these circumstances include events such as political instability, extreme weather conditions, security risks or unexpected technical defects. It is crucial that the airline takes all reasonable measures to avoid such disruptions. Climate protests and their effects Another challenge was a climate protest at Vienna Airport. Aircraft were blocked, which led to delays. Unlike IT failures, such actions must be checked to see whether they are considered "extraordinary circumstances". This depends, among other things, on whether the protests were announced in advance. Airlines must take proactive measures such as rebooking passengers if they are aware of impending actions. Passenger rights: compensation and care If a delay of more than three hours occurs and is not due to extraordinary circumstances, passengers are entitled to compensation. Depending on the flight distance, this amounts to between 250 and 600 euros. In addition, airlines are obliged to offer care services such as meals and hotel accommodation, depending on the length of the delay and the flight distance: These rights exist