Around 11.9 million passengers who used Lisbon Airport in 2024 faced some type of disruption to their flights, such as delays and cancellations, and may be entitled to financial compensation that can reach 600 euros. The estimate comes from the AirAdvisor platform, which indicates that 34% of passengers were affected by operational problems over the past year.

For passengers affected by delays of more than three hours, cancellations or denied boarding, European legislation provides for compensation ranging from 250 to 600 euros, depending on the distance of the flight and the waiting time. Established as Portugal's main air hub, Lisbon Airport handled 49.8% of the country's total passengers last year alone, equivalent to 35.1 million people. The data comes from the National Statistics Institute (INE) and represents a growth of 4.3% compared to the previous year.

According to AirAdvisor CEO Anton Radchenko, a lawyer and master's in International Law from the University of Iowa College of Law (USA), the growth in passenger flow is not limited to Lisbon. “Adding up the data from other airports, Portugal broke records and became the 9th largest air market in Europe”, he says, highlighting that, according to the INE, 245.9 thousand aircraft on commercial flights and 70.4 million passengers will land at Portuguese airports throughout 2024.

“Therefore, if we consider this upward curve and include the fact that last year saw a 12% increase in international tourism, it seems clear that air operations in Portugal will continue to grow this summer, and airports and airlines must prepare to avoid an increase in flight disruptions,” he warns. Radchenko highlights that Portugal has persistent challenges in flight punctuality. In 2023, the country was ranked as the third worst in Europe in this indicator, with more than 80,000 flights interrupted, affecting more than 11 million passengers.


Despite the significant impact of delays and cancellations, most passengers have no complaints. “Our analysis shows that only about 10% of passengers entitled to compensation actually request a refund or compensation,” says Radchenko. According to him, the low level of adherence is related to a lack of knowledge of consumer rights, the complexity of the complaints process and, at times, the bad faith of some companies. “The airline industry is all about selling tickets, but ensuring that passengers are treated fairly when something goes wrong is another story,” he adds.

AirAdvisor recommends that passengers keep all receipts, including tickets, airline communications, expense receipts, and try to obtain the exact cause of the disruption in writing. The CEO also warns about the practice of some companies that offer vouchers in place of ticket refunds: “These vouchers may contain clauses that imply the waiver of the right to financial compensation”.

Even in cases where the ticket is refunded or the passenger is re-accommodated, there may still be a right to compensation. “Passengers should check whether the situation meets the criteria defined by European regulations, as the amounts can reach 600 euros per person,” concludes Radchenko.