HomeCourt of Justice case law → C-452/13
C-452/132014Germanwings Ruled for the passenger

Delay is measured from the moment doors open

The Court clarified that arrival time is neither touchdown nor arrival at the gate, but the moment at least one aircraft door opens and passengers are allowed to leave. The difference can be 15–30 minutes — often exactly what decides whether a flight crossed the three-hour threshold.

Why it matters: If the airline counts the delay from landing and arrives at 2h50m, it is worth rechecking against the door-opening time.

These summaries are provided for understanding and do not replace legal advice. Full texts are available in the EUR-Lex database by case number.

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