Flight Cancellation Compensation and Reimbursement

Have you experienced a flight cancellation or delay in the last 3 years? You have extensive air passenger rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 and UK law. You can receive up to £520 (€600) if your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure or delayed over 3 hours.

Our guide covers everything you need to know about claiming your compensation if your flight is cancelled.

 

When are you entitled to flight cancellation compensation?

You may be eligible for up to £520/ €600 in compensation for your cancellation if your flight:

• departed from the EU/ UK with any airline
• arrived in the EU/ UK with an EU/ UK airline
• was within the EU/ UK with any airline.

 

EC261 applies to the EU, the UK, and all other countries from the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), including:

• the Azores, the Canary Islands, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion Island and Saint-Martin; plus
• Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland.

 

Cancelled flight: Your basic rights

If your flight is cancelled, you have the legal right to choose either:

• reimbursement - a full refund of your ticket,

OR

• a replacement flight to your destination

The reimbursement of your ticket fare includes all flights under the same booking. This means the airline must refund you both for the cancelled and the onward or return flight if they are under the same booking. If a connecting flight  is cancelled mid-journey, you have the right to a flight back to your original point of departure. All refunds must be paid back to you within 7 days.

 

The replacement flight involves re-routing to your final destination either:

• at the earliest opportunity or
• at a later date at your convenience provided seats are available.

Note that if there is an alternative flight with a different airline, which is earlier or more convenient, you may require to be placed on it and your airline must pick up the bill.

In case the alternative flight arrives at a different airport, the airline must offer alternative transport to your original airport of arrival and cover the expenses.

 

In addition to these basic rights, air passengers are also entitled to:

• Care - help with costs if your cancellation leads to over 2 hours delay
• Compensation  - in case your replacement flight takes you to your final destination with 2 or more hours delay and you were given less than 2 weeks notice of your flight cancellation

 

Right to care

If you choose to take the replacement flight and have to wait long at the airport, the air carrier legally has to assist you with:

• Food and drink,
• 2 free phone calls/ emails,
• Accommodation if the alternative flight forces you to spend the night at the airport, plus the travel expenses between the airport and the hotel.

 

How long do you have to wait to take advantage of this right to care? Depending on the flight distance, your right to assistance kicks in, respectively, after:

• 2 hours for flights less than 1500 km
• 3 hours for flights ranging between 1500 and 3500 km
• 4 hours for flights over 3500 km.

 

If you’re uncertain, you can check the length of your flight with the help of an online flight distance calculator.

The airline may offer your vouchers you can use at the airport. In case you don’t get any, simply keep your receipts and claim the expenses from the air carrier later. Note that airlines are required to cover only ‘reasonable’ expenses (they will not reimburse luxurious hotels or alcohol).

Your right to compensation for a cancelled flight

As an air passenger, you may be legally entitled to flight cancellation compensation if:

• you were informed of the cancellation less than 14 days before departure,
• the replacement flight arrived at your final destination with more than 2 hours delay, and
• the cancellation was the airline’s fault.

Air carriers are not required to pay compensation if the reason for the flight disruption was out of their control, i.e. the flight was cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.These so-called extraordinary circumstances include:

• Bad weather; 
• Bird strikes;
• ATC restrictions (e.g. runway closure);
• Security risks, etc.

 

 

Note that staff strikes may lead to compensation. The air carrier cannot be held responsible for an air traffic control strike or one by airport baggage handlers. However, airline staff strikes are their responsibility and you may be entitled to compensation.

Check your compensation

How much can you claim for your flight cancellation?

The amount of your cancelled flight compensation depends on:

• When the flight was cancelled
• The flight distance
• The departure and arrival times of your replacement flight

 

 

If your flight was cancelled more than 14 days before departure

under EC261 you are not entitled to compensation. But you are still legally entitled to a full refund or a replacement flight under comparable conditions.

If your flight was cancelled 7-13 days before departure

On top of the reimbursement/ replacement flight, you may claim up to £520 (€600) in compensation depending on the flight distance:

 

Note that under certain circumstances the compensation amount is cut in half.

In case your flight was cancelled less than 7 days before departure

On top of the reimbursement/ replacement flight, you may claim up to £520 (€600) in compensation depending on the flight distance:

 

Compensations are payable by check, cash or bank transfer within 7 days.

 

Additional rights:

 

Up and downgrading

If the airline offers an alternative flight and an upgrade, you will not be charged additionally. However, if you get downgraded, you may receive 30-75% reimbursement of the original ticket fare.

Delayed flight

You can also claim financial compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 for a delayed flight.

Denied boarding

Check your rights and claim EC261 compensation for denied boarding.

 

What should you do if your flight is cancelled?

1. Keep your boarding pass, reservation confirmation, and any proof of when exactly the air carrier informed you about the cancellation, e.g. an email/ text message/ airport announcement. This could be crucial for your compensation claim.
2. Contact the airline's customer service for more information and inquire about an alternate flight.
3. If you choose to take a replacement flight, note the departure and arrival times.
4. If you need to wait at the airport and/or stay the night, keep all receipts for food and drinks, and hotel accommodation so that you can get reimbursed. 

 

More flight cancellation regulations

In case your delayed or cancelled flight is not covered by EU or UK law, your still have rights under:

 

The Global Montreal Convention

More than 140 countries, including the USA, have signed the Montreal Convention which requires air carriers to compensate passengers for ‘damages’ (e.g. accommodation expenses in case of overnight delays).

 

US flight delay compensation

Unfortunately, no specific US law guarantees air passenger rights. In case of long tarmac delays, passengers have the right to information and food and water, but cannot apply for compensation.

The good news is that if you fly to or from the EU, your US flight may be covered by EU261/2004.

HERE

 

Fight for your rights

SkyRefund’s mission is to protect air passenger rights.

• No win, no fee
  By filing a claim with us, you risk no additional or hidden fees. We will only charge you 35% of the compensation amount you receive from the airline if and when we win your case.
• Quick and easy
  Filing a compensation claim takes only a couple of minutes. Аll you need to do is fill in your flight details and personal information. Our professional team will do the rest.
• Experience and expertise
  Over 700,000 cases from travellers all over the world and a network of law firms in more than 37 countries and jurisdictions. Our experienced professionals will take care of all administrative tasks, contact the airline and even represent you in court if necessary.

Do not hesitate to contact us, we can assist you in 11 languages and will spare no effort to defend your rights.