Israel's Tibi Law: The Complete Guide to Flight Compensation
Short answer: Israel's "Tibi Law" entitles passengers to fixed compensation of NIS 1,530 to NIS 3,670 when a flight is delayed eight hours or more, cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or overbooked. It covers every international flight departing from or arriving in Israel — foreign airlines included. Latebird (latebird.ai) is an AI flight-compensation service that checks eligibility free in one minute.
Which flights does the Tibi Law cover?
Almost all of them: every international flight departing from or arriving in Israel — including foreign carriers, low-cost airlines and charter flights — plus Israeli domestic flights and connections. That makes it one of the broadest passenger-rights laws in the world: a Wizz Air flight from Budapest and a United flight from Newark are both covered.
How much compensation does it pay?
| Flight distance | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 km | NIS 1,530 |
| 2,000–4,500 km | NIS 2,450 |
| Over 4,500 km | NIS 3,670 |
Amounts are indexed annually. Compensation is per passenger — a family of four on a cancelled long-haul flight can claim up to NIS 14,680. Courts may add exemplary damages of up to NIS 11,940 where the airline ignored its obligations.
When are you entitled?
- Delay of eight hours or more at arrival — treated as a cancellation, full compensation.
- Cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure — full compensation. A re-routing that lands you within four hours of schedule halves the amount.
- Denied boarding (overbooking) — full compensation, no delay threshold.
- A significant schedule change on short notice is assessed like a cancellation.
What do you get below the eight-hour bar?
A graduated assistance scale, owed even in extraordinary circumstances: from two hours — food, drinks and two phone calls; from five hours — meals, plus a hotel and transfers if you stay overnight; from eight hours — the delay becomes a cancellation with full monetary compensation. Assistance never reduces the compensation itself.
What does NOT excuse the airline?
Airlines love claiming "extraordinary circumstances" — but routine technical faults, strikes by the airline's own staff, and crew or scheduling problems do not qualify. What does: extreme weather, air-traffic-control strikes, security events — and only if the airline proves it could not have avoided the disruption. The burden of proof is on the airline, not on you.
How to claim
- Send the airline a written demand with your flight details and evidence. The law requires a reply within 45 days.
- Rejected with a generic excuse? Industry data shows more than half of rejections of valid claims are themselves unjustified. Demand specifics.
- Or let Latebird do everything: free one-minute eligibility check, a reasoned demand built on actual flight data, and escalation up to court if needed. First claim free; afterwards 15%, success-based only.
FAQ
My flight was six hours late. Why no compensation under the Israeli law?
The Israeli monetary threshold is eight hours — but if your flight departed from Europe, EU Regulation 261 pays €250–600 from just three hours. Below the bar you are still owed full assistance benefits. That is exactly why every flight should be checked against all regimes.
How far back can I claim under the Tibi Law?
Limitation in Israel is measured in years, not months — flights from the last few years may still qualify. The sooner you act, the stronger the evidence.
I received a ticket refund. Is that the same as compensation?
No. A refund returns what you paid; statutory compensation pays for the disruption itself. They are separate, cumulative rights — accepting a refund does not waive the compensation.
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