Azurair and Others (Air transport - Common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of cancellation or long delay of flights - Judgment)

(References for a preliminary ruling – Air transport – Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – Common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of cancellation or long delay of flights – Articles 2 and 3 – Concepts of ‘operating air carrier’, ‘confirmed reservation’ and ‘scheduled time of arrival’ – Articles 5, 7 and 8 – Flight departure time brought forward in relation to the original planned departure time – Classification – Reduction in the amount of compensation – Offer of re-routing – Article 14 – Obligation to inform passengers of their rights – Scope)

FOUR REQUESTS for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU, one from the Landesgericht Korneuburg (Regional Court, Korneuburg, Austria), made by decision of 16 June 2020, received at the Court on 18 June 2020 (C‑270/20), and three from the Landgericht Düsseldorf (Regional Court, Düsseldorf, Germany), made by decisions of 17 February 2020 (C‑146/20) and of 6 April 2020 (C‑188/20 and C‑196/20), received at the Court on 20 March 2020 (C‑146/20), on 30 April 2020 (C‑188/20) and on 6 May 2020 (C‑196/20), in the proceedings

composed of L. Bay Larsen, Vice-President of the Court, acting as President of the First Chamber, J.‑C. Bonichot and M. Safjan (Rapporteur), Judges,

having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing on 16 June 2021,

– Corendon Airlines and OP, acting as liquidator of Azurair GmbH, by N. Serfort, Rechtsanwalt,