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Flights to Serbia: delays, cancellations and your rights

Belgrade Nikola Tesla – the hub of Air Serbia – is Serbia’s main airport, and Niš its second international airport. Flights to Serbia from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or the UK are covered by EU261 or UK261 whatever the airline; flights from Serbia are covered by EU261 only when they land in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland on an airline licensed in one of those countries, and by UK261 only when they land in the UK on a UK or EU airline (in both cases not if you received benefits or compensation and assistance under local rules). Serbia has transposed Regulation 261/2004 into national law, according to its Civil Aviation Directorate.

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

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In short: Flying to Serbia 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 £220 under UK261. On the way home you are covered only on an EU airline (into the EU) or a UK or EU airline (into the UK). Local rules may help on airlines from there.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → SerbiaEU261any airline€250–€400
Serbia → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261only an EU airline€250–€400
UK → SerbiaUK261any airline£220
Serbia → UKUK261only a UK or EU airline£220
Outside Europe → Serbianone––

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.

Local rules: Serbia has transposed Regulation 261/2004 into national law through the Law on Obligations and the Basics of Property Relations in Air Transport, according to the Civil Aviation Directorate. A complaint must first be submitted to the airline (Art. 97), within 90 days of the flight date; if the airline does not pay, the routes are mediation or court.

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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.

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Airports in Serbia

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Belgrade (BEG)6,661,2210.44 minATC capacity (49%)
Niš (INI)305,462––

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

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Serbia are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Serbia’s airports by 0.44 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 1 airports). The worst month was Sep. Air traffic control strikes affected arrivals on 43 days since 2024, most recently 30 September 2025.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • ATC capacity49%
  • airspace management27%
  • industrial action (ATC)21%
  • weather3%

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 Serbia 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. Authority: Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia (CAD) – The Directorate has an online passenger complaint form, but says it does not deal with individual compensation claims; you must complain to the airline first..
  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.

Tips for flying to Serbia

  • Complain to the airline within 90 days of the flight – under Serbian law that is the first and necessary step.
  • In EUROCONTROL’s 2025 data about a fifth of arrival flow-control delay at Belgrade was attributed to industrial action by air traffic control, alongside ATC capacity and airspace management.
  • Air Serbia is not an EU or UK airline, so on its flights from Belgrade to the EU or the UK neither EU261 nor UK261 applies; Serbian law does.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Serbia?

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 (£220). From outside Europe you are covered by neither rule.

Am I covered on the flight home from Serbia?

Flights from Serbia into the EU are covered by EU261 only on an EU airline, and into the UK by UK261 only on a UK or EU airline. With a Serbia airline you are not covered by EU261 or UK261.

Serbia has transposed Regulation 261/2004 into national law through the Law on Obligations and the Basics of Property Relations in Air Transport, according to the Civil Aviation Directorate. A complaint must first be submitted to the airline (Art. 97), within 90 days of the flight date; if the airline does not pay, the routes are mediation or court.

Who enforces passenger rights in Serbia?

Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia (CAD) – The Directorate has an online passenger complaint form, but says it does not deal with individual compensation claims; you must complain to the airline first.. 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. Passengers – Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia
  2. Passenger complaints – online form – Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  5. Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (Montreal, 1999) – list of parties – ICAO
  6. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  7. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  8. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  9. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  10. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  11. 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.