Chaos at Romanian airports: Flight cancellations surge as EU confirms passenger rights

Romanian airports are grappling with a severe wave of flight cancellations, placing them among the most affected in Europe. The surge is largely attributed to the escalating costs of aviation fuel. At Henri Coandă Airport in Bucharest, the situation has reached a critical point, with cancellation rates multiplying by approximately 30 times compared to the previous year.

Airports in Cluj, Sibiu, and Craiova are also facing significant disruptions. An analysis by AirAdvisor covering February 28 to May 14, 2026, revealed that the cancellation rate at Bucharest's main airport rose from a mere 0.10% in the same period last year to 3.15%. Data indicates that over 64% of these cancellations in Bucharest affected medium-haul flights, typically between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers. These routes are vital connections for the Romanian diaspora traveling to major European hubs like London, Paris, Brussels, and Frankfurt.

The European Commission has clarified that airlines cannot invoke the increase in fuel prices as a reason to evade passenger compensation mandated by European legislation. Under Regulation (EU) 261/2004, passengers can claim up to 400 euros for canceled flights on many of the affected routes. Despite this, the operational chaos continues.

Henri Coandă Airport stands out in the European rankings for flight disruptions, with a cancellation rate of 3.16%, an average delay of 124 minutes, and 214 cancellations on short-haul routes. The situation is not isolated to Bucharest; the operational indicators have degraded across Romania's entire airport network. Cluj-Napoca International Airport saw an 82-fold increase in cancellations, rising from 0.03% to 2.47%. Sibiu International Airport recorded the highest cancellation rate among Romanian airports analyzed, reaching 9.26% compared to 0.63% the previous year, with all cancellations affecting short-haul flights.