EU court rules bird strikes are not airlines’ fault

The European Court of Justice decided on May 4 that an airline cannot be held liable if a flight is delayed by a bird strike.

EU law says passengers should be compensated if a flight is three or more hours late.

Czech passengers sued after a flight was five hours late after a collision with a flying bird.

The EU’s highest court called a bird strike an “extraordinary circumstance,” which under the definition of the regulation would make it exempt.