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Malta to Skopje: flight delays and compensation

54,114 passengers travelled between Malta International Airport (MLA) and Skopje International Airport (SKP) 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: Malta–Skopje is 917 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €250 per passenger from Malta and €250 from Skopje (only an EU airline). 54,114 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Malta → SkopjeEU261any airline€250
Skopje → MaltaEU261only an EU airline€250

The amount depends only on distance (917 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%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

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

Air traffic flow delays at Malta (MLA)

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, 36,976 flights arrived at MLA; 708 of them were held back this way, 121 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.18 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • aerodrome capacity84%
  • weather9%
  • other7%

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: 16 October 2025 – 829 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 27 September 2025 – 417 minutes, mostly other; 26 September 2025 – 214 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 31,127 arrivals, 0.30 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (worse than 2025), mainly other (35%) and aerodrome capacity (29%).

Check what happened at MLA on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (9% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (0%) 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 Skopje (SKP)

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, 12,136 flights arrived at SKP; 51 of them were held back this way, 38 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.12 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • equipment (ATC)100%

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: 24 September 2025 – 520 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC); 21 September 2025 – 357 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC); 22 September 2025 – 259 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC).

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 9,999 arrivals, 0.01 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly aerodrome capacity (100%).

Check what happened at SKP on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (0% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (100%) 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 Malta–Skopje flight?

The great-circle distance is 917 km. From Malta: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Skopje: €250 per passenger (EU261, only an EU 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 Malta–Skopje flight covered if the airline is not European?

Departures from an EU or UK airport are covered with any airline. From Skopje (North Macedonia) you are covered only on an EU-licensed airline flying into the EU (or a UK/EU airline into the UK).

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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