On February 4, 2026, the airline airBaltic operated a flight from Dubai to Riga. Instead of the usual eight hours, passengers spent almost a day traveling. People were under stress and in the dark about what was happening — information was poorly provided; the plane landed in Bucharest, where everyone had to transfer to another flight. Many were late for work and other commitments. However, there is good news — those passengers who submit a claim and properly complete the documents may expect a significant compensation of 600 euros, writes Maris Krautmanis on nra.lv.
“It was February 4, 2026, and we arrived at Dubai Airport on time. The Dubai–Riga flight was scheduled to depart at 09:30 and arrive in Riga at 14:55. Flight number BT792. At 08:33 local time (it was 06:33 in Latvia), an email arrived from 'airBaltic' about the flight delay and the new departure time of 10:02. The email included two documents — passenger rights in Latvian and English, stating when compensation can be claimed, when free meals are provided, and when they are not. Throughout the journey, which lasted almost 24 hours, many points were clearly violated,” wrote Tomas Straube on the 'Jurista Balss' portal.
Uncomfortable Questions
In an interview with nra.lv, Tomas Straube said: “I contacted many passengers who were on this flight. We got to know each other and became friends — there was plenty of time.
They say that the money for the receipts for purchased soft drinks is not refunded. They refer to regulations stating that refunds are only given in some reasonable amount. This is quite absurd, as the amounts are small — 20–30 euros.
But there are others who demanded compensation, and they will receive 600 euros.
I have not yet submitted my claim, but I will do so soon. One person, as far as I know, submitted a claim along with receipts for food and drinks purchased during the flight. 'airBaltic' responded that the receipts would not be reimbursed. Another submitted a claim and received a response that the compensation of 600 euros would be paid.”
“nra.lv” showed the responses received from 'airBaltic', but Tomas Straube reacted to them with undisguised skepticism.
“The response from 'airBaltic' is a sample of legal casuistry, which avoided all uncomfortable questions. It is still unclear why it took a day to fly from Dubai and why all this happened. In the capital of Romania, Bucharest, we had to sit on the plane, not knowing how much longer we would have to wait. Romanian border guards and customs officers thoroughly checked us — this took more than three hours.
There was a woman on the plane who had no money on her card, only cash. She had to ask other passengers to lend her money.
In front of me were two small children. One was crying the whole time — of course, the parents did not expect the trip to be so long.
Passengers were also concerned — whether everything was alright with the plane.
On board was also a Lithuanian youth taekwondo team, which expected to return home on time but arrived a day late. I think they are also entitled to compensation — but they need to apply for it.”
Half a Glass of Water for Free. Want More — Pay!
Passengers were boarded onto the plane around 10 o'clock, but it spent another four hours on the ground, during which passengers were offered half a glass of drink for free only once. And that was it. If someone found that insufficient, drinks could be purchased. Meals were also provided only for money.
Then the plane landed in Bucharest, where everyone had to wait for another flight to Riga. Instead of the usual eight hours, the torturous and uncertain journey took almost 24 hours.
“nra.lv” inquired with 'airBaltic' whether passengers are entitled to compensation for such inconveniences and why there was such a significant delay.
Tomas Straube asked the following questions: why was it announced only at 14:00 in Dubai that the plane would fly to Bucharest when the new route was already indicated on the board at 13:00; why was the backup plane, which, according to 'Flightradar', departed from Riga at 17:50, initially delayed and arrived only five hours later — at 23:30; why was two tons of fuel supplied to the plane in Bucharest, which had already shown fuel supply problems; was the Dubai–Bucharest flight “completely safe” if the plane was no longer allowed to take off in Bucharest; should the crew have provided all passengers with hot meals for free; why was only those who expressed complaints about paid meals informed about the possibility of submitting receipts for compensation, and why was this not announced to all passengers.
Conducting Technical Procedures Took Longer
In response, the corporate communications department of 'airBaltic' explained that before the departure of flight BT792 from Dubai to Riga on February 4, a technical message was recorded in the aircraft's system, which required the involvement of technical personnel for assessment and resolution. Given the operational limitations and infrastructure of Dubai Airport, conducting technical procedures took longer than initially planned.
“Regarding the information on the airport board, route changes may be displayed earlier because data is updated promptly; however, official information is provided to passengers only after final confirmation of the decision by the airline's operational management,” 'airBaltic' stated.
Due to the change in route planning and existing operational limitations, it was decided to make a stop in Bucharest for refueling. The identified technical message did not prevent the safe operation of the aircraft. At the same time, in Bucharest, a preventive decision was made not to continue the flight to Riga for additional technical checks, emphasizing that flight safety is the highest priority for 'airBaltic'.
Regarding the backup plane, various factors could have affected its departure and arrival times, including airspace congestion, airport operational restrictions, and necessary operational approvals, resulting in a changed schedule.
Concerning passenger service, 'airBaltic' referred to Articles 6 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council, which state that in the event of a flight delay, passengers should be provided with meals and refreshments in reasonable proportion to the waiting time. The regulation does not specify the exact volume of service, and it is carried out in accordance with the airline's internal procedures. If in individual cases passengers purchased food at their own expense, these costs may be considered for compensation upon providing receipts. The airline apologized if the information about this possibility was not sufficiently clear to all passengers.
Regarding compensations, each case is assessed individually in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, taking into account the reasons for the delay. Passengers can submit a claim for compensation or reimbursement of expenses on the 'airBaltic' website in the 'Submit a Claim' section, the corporate communications department of the airline reported.
