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Flights to Latvia: delays, cancellations and your rights

Riga International is Latvia’s only airport in Eurostat’s 2024 data on routes within Europe and the hub of airBaltic, the Latvian national airline. EU261 covers every departure from Latvia, whatever the airline, and flights to Latvia from outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland when an airline licensed in one of those countries operates them.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Flying to Latvia from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £350 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Latvia.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → LatviaEU261any airline€250–€400
Latvia → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261any airline€250–€400
UK → LatviaUK261any airline£350
Latvia → UKEU261any airline€400
Outside Europe → LatviaEU261only an EU airlineby distance, up to €600

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Latvia or flying from there? See how to claim in Latvia.

Check your flight to or from Latvia

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

Airports in Latvia

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Riga (RIX)6,019,2480.00 minweather (100%)

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Routes from the UK to Latvia

From the UK: in the CAA’s 2025 data UK flights to Latvia all went to Riga. Flights departing from Latvia are covered by EU261 whatever the airline; flights from the UK to Latvia by UK261; flights from Latvia to the UK by EU261.

Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).

RouteFlightsOn time3h+ lateCancelled
London Stansted – Riga1,42275.3%0.14%0.70%
London Gatwick – Riga1,29172.8%0.15%0.15%

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Latvia are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Latvia’s airports by 0.00 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 1 airports). The worst month was Dec.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • weather100%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.

Strikes

No strikes affecting flights in Latvia are announced in our calendar at the moment.

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. National enforcement body: Consumer Rights Protection Centre (Patērētāju tiesību aizsardzības centrs, PTAC) – Complain to the airline in writing first. PTAC examines complaints about flights departing from Latvia and flights into Latvia from outside the EU, but does not decide on payment of individual claims. Complaint form in Latvian and English..
  3. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Time limit: 3 years: claims against the carrier expire after three years (Commercial Law, art. 406), according to the Consumer Rights Protection Centre.

Tips for flying to Latvia

  • Under the Law “On Aviation” a claim can go to the authorities or a court only after a written claim to the airline. For incidents at Latvian airports, or on a Latvian airline, PTAC says that claim must reach the airline within six months of the flight date.
  • PTAC’s guidance says that for airBaltic flights from the UK or Estonia (or into them from outside the EU), passengers should contact PTAC.
  • Riga had almost no arrival flow-control delay in EUROCONTROL’s 2024–2025 data, so if your flight from Riga was badly delayed, ask the airline in writing for the specific reason.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Latvia?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£350). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.

Am I covered on the flight home from Latvia?

Latvia applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).

Who enforces passenger rights in Latvia?

Consumer Rights Protection Centre (Patērētāju tiesību aizsardzības centrs, PTAC) – Complain to the airline in writing first. PTAC examines complaints about flights departing from Latvia and flights into Latvia from outside the EU, but does not decide on payment of individual claims. Complaint form in Latvian and English.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. Air passenger rights – Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC)
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  5. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  6. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  7. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  8. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  9. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  10. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.