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Alicante to Marseille: flight delays and compensation

95,332 passengers travelled between Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) and Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) in 2024, according to Eurostat. Here is what a delay or cancellation on this route is worth in each direction, which rules apply, and how often the two airports are hit by air traffic restrictions.

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

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In short: Alicante–Marseille is 751 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €250 per passenger from Alicante and €250 from Marseille. 95,332 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Alicante → MarseilleEU261any airline€250
Marseille → AlicanteEU261any airline€250

The amount depends only on distance (751 km, measured as the great circle between the airports) – not on the ticket price – and is paid per passenger, children included. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide care (meals, drinks, a hotel overnight), and after a cancellation you choose between a refund or re-routing.

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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%)
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Air traffic flow delays at Alicante (ALC)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 62,942 flights arrived at ALC; 685 of them were held back this way, 217 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.15 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • aerodrome capacity76%
  • weather18%
  • other5%
  • ATC capacity1%

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

Worst days: 1 April 2025 – 827 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 28 June 2025 – 670 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 14 August 2025 – 562 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 52,694 arrivals, 0.25 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (worse than 2025), mainly aerodrome capacity (76%) and weather (19%).

Check what happened at ALC on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (18% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (1%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Air traffic flow delays at Marseille (MRS)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 49,716 flights arrived at MRS; 3,547 of them were held back this way, 1,395 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 1.36 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • equipment (ATC)63%
  • industrial action (ATC)8%
  • special event8%
  • other5%
  • airspace management4%
  • 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

Worst days: 28 October 2025 – 3,306 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC); 31 October 2025 – 2,282 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC); 30 October 2025 – 2,250 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC).

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 37,927 arrivals, 0.88 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly special event (32%) and other (25%).

Air traffic control strike days recorded for MRS since 2024: 5 December 2024 (985 min); 13 May 2025 (671 min); 14 May 2025 (662 min); 5 June 2025 (1,069 min); 3 July 2025 (1,604 min); 4 July 2025 (857 min); 10 September 2025 (709 min); 29 September 2026 (1,815 min) and 7 earlier.

Check what happened at MRS on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (3% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (71%), ATC strikes (8%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Other routes from these airports

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Alicante–Marseille flight?

The great-circle distance is 751 km. From Alicante: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Marseille: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). The delay at your final destination must be 3 hours or more, and the airline must not be able to prove extraordinary circumstances.

Is a Alicante–Marseille flight covered if the airline is not European?

Yes. Both airports apply EU261 (or UK261) to every departing flight, so the airline’s nationality does not matter in either direction.

What if the flight was cancelled?

You can choose a refund or re-routing, get care while you wait, and – unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – fixed compensation. Cancelled flight compensation.

Passenger numbers: Eurostat 2024 (passengers carried between the two airports, both directions). Delay data: EUROCONTROL. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  2. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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