Romania-based entrepreneur Irina Ciochiu is urging travelers across Europe to seek professional support when pursuing compensation for flight disruptions.
BUCHAREST, RO / ACCESS Newswire / May 26, 2026 / Air travel disruptions are more common than many passengers realize. Yet despite strong consumer protections across Europe, millions of travelers still fail to pursue compensation after delayed, canceled, or overbooked flights.
Irina Ciochiu, Founder and CEO of FlightHelp, is raising awareness about the growing disconnect between passenger rights under EU261 regulations and the reality of navigating claims against airlines.
According to European industry estimates, more than 30 million passengers across Europe may qualify for compensation annually due to flight disruptions. However, many claims are never filed because travelers either do not understand their rights or assume the airline’s response is final.
Ciochiu believes this misunderstanding is one of the biggest problems facing passengers today.
“Success is creating systems that solve real-world problems at scale, especially in industries where individuals often lack support,” she says. “Passenger rights only matter if people are actually able to enforce them.”
EU261 remains one of the strongest passenger protection frameworks in the world. The regulation allows compensation in many cases involving delays, cancellations, and denied boarding. However, airlines frequently deny claims by citing “extraordinary circumstances,” a category that passengers often do not fully understand.
According to Ciochiu, those denials should not automatically discourage travelers from pursuing assistance.
“Passengers often assume the airline’s answer is the final answer,” she explains. “But even when airlines cite extraordinary circumstances, passengers may still be eligible for compensation depending on the actual cause of the disruption.”
She says this is why professional support during the claims process is so important.
Airlines also rarely provide passengers with the detailed operational reason for a disruption in writing. Without access to that information, many travelers are left trying to challenge complex airline decisions without the documentation or legal understanding needed to properly evaluate the claim.
“The real challenge is translating complex rules into practical solutions for everyday travelers,” Ciochiu says. “Most passengers simply do not have access to the operational details behind a disruption, which makes professional guidance extremely valuable.”
As travel demand continues to increase across Europe, disruptions are expected to remain common during peak travel periods. Eurocontrol data shows that European air traffic has returned to near pre-pandemic levels, placing continued pressure on airline operations and scheduling systems.
Ciochiu believes greater passenger awareness can improve accountability across the industry.
“Most challenges become manageable once you start moving through them,” she says. “People should not immediately give up after receiving a denial from an airline. There are often additional factors that need to be reviewed.”
Through FlightHelp, Ciochiu focuses on helping passengers navigate the claims process more effectively, particularly in situations where eligibility may not be immediately clear.
Her approach combines legal understanding with operational systems designed to simplify what can otherwise become an overwhelming process for travelers.
“I focus on measurable outcomes and practical execution,” she says. “Awareness leads to action, and action leads to results.”
Ciochiu also believes that informed passengers ultimately benefit the broader aviation industry by encouraging greater transparency and accountability.
“When systems are used, tested, and challenged, they improve,” she says. “That applies to industries just as much as businesses.”
Call to Action
Passengers experiencing flight delays, cancellations, or denied boarding are encouraged to document disruptions carefully, save travel records and boarding passes, and seek professional assistance before assuming they are not eligible for compensation.
Ciochiu advises travelers not to rely solely on an airline’s initial explanation or denial, particularly in cases involving claims of extraordinary circumstances. Professional review and support may help passengers better understand their rights and available options under EU261.
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Irina Ciochiu
Irina Ciochiu is a Romanian entrepreneur and legal professional, and the Founder and CEO of FlightHelp. With a background in law from the University of Craiova, she works at the intersection of aviation, regulation, and consumer advocacy. Through her work, she helps passengers navigate complex frameworks such as EU261 and better understand their rights following flight disruptions across Europe.
Contact:
Info@irina-ciochiu.com
SOURCE: Irina Ciochiu
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