How To Claim Flight Cancellation Compensation

 

Flight cancellations are an unavoidable part of air travel and can cause significant disruptions to your plans. There isn’t a single airline with a perfect track record out there. Fortunately, you may be able to claim up to £520 flight cancellation compensation under some regulations.

The following guide will provide in-depth explanations about your rights under international regulations, how to claim what you’re owed, and what to expect from airlines.

 

  

Are you entitled to compensation if a flight is cancelled?

Yes, you're entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled. Below we outline your rights in the UK and the EU, according to Regulation EC261/2004, and it's British equivalent — UK261:

• You’re entitled to a refund of your ticket or an alternative flight to your destination.  
• You can claim up to £520 in compensation if your flight was cancelled within 14 days of departure without a suitable alternative flight.
• The carrier is obligated to pay compensation only if the flight was cancelled due to reasons within the airline's control. 
• The airline has to provide food and drink vouchers and overnight accommodation if necessary. 

Insider Tip: The airline must offer a rebooking or refund regardless of the cancellation reason (even heavy snow). But if it’s extraordinary circumstances like bad weather, no financial compensation is due.

 

What is the 14-day rule for airlines?

Depending on how far in advance you were informed about the cancellation and how convenient the replacement flight is, your right to compensation changes.

If your new flight meets one of the conditions below, the airline might argue that you're not entitled to compensation since you've received a suitable alternative.

• You were informed more than 14 days of departure 
• You were informed of the cancellation between 7 and 14 days before departure, and your replacement flight departs no more than 2 hours earlier or arrives no more than 4 hours later than your original flight.
• You were informed of the cancellation less than 7 days before departure, and your replacement flight departs no more than 1 hour earlier or arrives no more than 2 hours later than your original flight.

Keep in mind that the above also only apply to cancellations within the airline's control. 

Insider Tip: If the airline doesn't provide you with care during your wait, you can claim the money from them afterwards. All you need to do is keep the receipts and fill out how many additional costs you incurred when you’re submitting your claim. 

 

How much compensation am I entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, you can get up to £520 (€600) in compensation, under European regulations. The amount depends on the flight distance. Here is a summary of the compensation amounts for eligible flights:

3+ hours	Distance	Example flight
£220 (€250)	Under 1,500 km	London → Paris (343 km)
£350 (€400)	1,500 – 3,500 km	Edinburg → Berlin (1,730 km)
£350 (€400)	Over 3,500 km (in EU)	Lisbon → Stockholm (3,608 km)
£520 (€600)	Over 3,500 km (departing EU)	Frankfurt → New York (6,202 km)

 

In addition, there are a few cases in which the amount of compensation can change:

• Your compensation can be reduced by 50% in some cases. This is enacted in cases when the alternative flight you're provided with arrives within 2 hours (short flights), 3 hours (medium), and 4 hours (long-haul) from the original arrival time. 
• Arrival time means when at least one aircraft door opens, allowing passengers to disembark, not when the wheels touch the ground. 

 

How to claim compensation for a cancelled flight?

The process of claiming compensation has never been easier. Here’s a straightforward step-by-step guide to help you take action:

 

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Start by confirming whether your flight qualifies under EU261/2004 or UK261. For this, you must ensure the cancellation occurred less than 14 days before departure. Check if the airline was responsible for the cancellation and did not offer a suitable rerouting.

 

Step 2: Gather the necessary documents

Keep the following documents to support your claim: boarding pass, booking confirmation email, any messages from the airline regarding the cancellation or rebooking, and any receipts for additional expenses.

 

Step 3: Submit a claim for compensation

Instead of going through the airline's long, bureaucratic processes, you can submit your claim directly to SkyRefund. Our expert team will take over and pursue your flight cancellation compensation, relieving you of all the stress.

 

 

Flight cancellation compensation: International flights 

Cancelled flights outside the UK and Europe are also protected by aviation law. Depending on the country, different regulations govern air transport. Below we outline some of the most common ones:

 

Flight cancellation of Turkish flights 

Flights with a touchpoint in Türkiye are protected by SHY Passenger Regulation. Under this regulation, if your flight is cancelled due to reasons within the airline's control, you can claim compensation up to €600. Additionally, your flight has to:

• Be cancelled within 14 days of departure without a suitable alternative
• Depart from Türkiye or land in Türkiye and be operated by a Turkish airline

Passengers are also entitled to a rebooking or refund of the price of their ticket. The airline has to provide you with meal vouchers and hotel accommodation for the duration of your wait. 

 

Flight cancellation of Canadian flights

If your journey takes you to Canada, you can rely on Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) to guard your rights. Cancelled flights departing and landing or flying within Canada are entitled to financial compensation if the disruption was preventable by the airline. Compensation is determined by the length of the arrival delay and the size of the carrier: 

• Between CA $125 and CA $400 for delays between 3 and 6 hours
• Between CA $250 and CA $700 for delays between 6 and 9 hours
• Between CA $500 and CA $1,000 for over 9 hours

 

Flight cancellation of Brazilian flights

Any flights departing from a Brazilian airport are protected under ANAC Resolution No. 400/2016, regardless of the airline's nationality. In cases of flight cancellation, you're entitled to material assistance covering: 

• Meal and drink vouchers
• Hotel accommodation while waiting for your flight
• Transportation to the hotel 

The airline also has to provide you with an alternative flight or a refund and update you on the status of your flight every 30 minutes. 

Contrary to other regulations, flight cancellations and delays are considered outside the airline's control. That is why you're able to claim financial compensation only in cases of denied boarding. 

 

Flight cancellation of Saudi Arabian flights

When you're flying to or from Saudi Arabia, the GACA Regulation protects your passenger rights. In case of a flight cancellation, you're entitled to an alternative flight and care provided by the airline. This applies to all flights

• Departing from Saudi Arabia 
• Landing in Saudi Arabia but operated by a Saudi airline. 

But if you refuse the alternative flight you can claim compensation in the form of a percentage of the unused flight value and a refund of the ticket. The amount depends on when you were notified about the cancellation:

• Between 60 and 14 days of departure: 50% of the unused flight value and a refund
• Between 14 days and 24 hours of departure: 75% of the unused flight value and a refund
• Less than 24 hours of departure: 150% of the unused flight value and a refund

 

 

 

What is my right to care?

Airlines are obligated to support passengers during their waiting period after a flight is cancelled at short notice. This is known as the Right to Care, and it applies regardless of whether you are eligible for EU flight cancellation compensation. It includes:

• Meals and refreshments
• Access to communication
• Hotel accommodation plus transport for overnight delays. 

In case the airline fails to provide this assistance, you can pay for these services and request reimbursement later, provided that you keep all valid receipts.

 

 

 

What if my flight was part of a connecting journey?

You may still be eligible for cancelled flight compensation if your flight was part of a connecting journey under a single booking and only one leg was affected. The main condition is that the cancellation causes you to arrive 3 or more hours late at your final destination. 

• Example #1: You booked a London → Frankfurt → New York journey, and the Frankfurt to New York leg got cancelled, resulting in a late arrival. If both flights were under the same booking, you can claim compensation.
• Example #2: Imagine your initial flight got delayed or cancelled, causing you to miss your onward connection. You may be eligible for compensation if the final arrival delay exceeds three hours and the airline is responsible.

However, the airline isn't responsible for missed onward connections if your flights were booked separately, and you may not be entitled to compensation for delays caused beyond that specific leg.

 

  

What if my flight was cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances?

Airlines are not required to pay compensation if the flight was cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances. Such issues include bad weather, bird strikes, security threats and medical emergencies. As in these cases, the issue is outside the carrier's control, the airline isn't obligated to pay compensation.

It’s important to note that technical issues and crew shortages are not typically considered extraordinary, and you may still be eligible for compensation in such cases.

 

While airlines aren't obligated to pay compensation, they have to rebook your flight or give you vouchers for future use. In these cases, we always advise passengers to be proactive. You can look up flights on your own and reach out to the airline representative with a list of suitable flights. This will make their job easier as they will only need to check the availability on the flights. 

 

My flight was brought forward. Does it count as cancelled?

Yes, if your flight was brought forward by more than 1 hour within 14 days of departure, it is considered cancelled. A flight which is brought forward with more than 1 hour will disrupt the plans of passengers. As this would essentially make your flight non-operational, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rules that the rules for cancelled flights apply to flights which have been moved forward. 

As your flight would be considered cancelled, the same rules apply: 

• Your flight was brought forward with more than an hour
• You were notified about the change within 14 days of departure
• The flight was operated by an EU-based airline or departed from the EU 
• You had valid booking and checked-in on time
• The flight wasn't moved ahead because of extraordinary circumstances

Similarly, you're also entitled to refund and rerouting, and should receive care at the airport while you're waiting. Have a look at our guide to claiming compensation for advanced flight to learn more about your rights. 

 

My flight was diverted to a different airport. Does it count as cancelled? 

Yes, if your flight is diverted it's considered cancelled. In case you land at a different airport than the initial final destination of your journey, your flight counts as cancelled under EU261. 

But in case your flight lands at an airport in the same city or region, then the flight is delayed not cancelled. In that case, you can claim flight delay compensation if you arrive with a 3-hour delay.  This also applies to cases in which you've accepted the diversion to a different airport. 

 

My flight was forced to return to the departure airport. Does it count as cancelled?

Yes, if your flight returns to the departure airport, it's considered cancelled. This is only in cases where the plane was already flying but had to make a turn back to where it took off. 

In that case, the airline will transfer you to a new flight. The alternative flight has to meet the same conditions as other cancellations to be eligible for compensation. 

 

How long do I have to claim compensation?

The timeframe to submit a claim depends on the country where the legal claim is filed. These compensation time limits are generally determined by national civil laws.

Limit	Country
under 1 yr	Sweden
1 year	Poland, Belgium, Italy (domestic flights)
2 years	Italy (international flights), Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, The Netherlands, Croatia, Türkiye
3 years	Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Litva, Norway, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania
4 years	Iceland
5 years	Greece, France, Hungary, Spain, Scotland
6 years	United Kingdom (excl. Scotland), Ireland, Cyprus
10 years	Luxembourg, Switzerland

 

 

How is flight cancellation compensation calculated?

Flight cancellation compensation is determined based on two key factors:

1. When the passenger was notified of the cancellation.
2. The arrival time of the replacement flight compared to the original scheduled arrival time.

Compensation may apply for notifications between 7–14 days in advance, unless the rerouted flight departs no more than 2 hours early and arrives less than 4 hours late. Compensation can be claimed for notifications under 7 days before departure, unless the rerouted flight departs no more than 1 hour earlier and arrives less than 2 hours later.

  

How long does It take?

Claim processing times vary by airline and the complexity of the case. While we can help resolve some within weeks, others may take months, especially if the case is contested. Here's a general breakdown based on our experience:

 

Airline Response Time	Typical Scenario
2–4 weeks	Straightforward cases with no disputes
1–2 months	Requires additional documentation or review
2–6 months	Disputed cases, needing negotiation or appeal
6+ months	Legal escalation or uncooperative airline

 

Important: Keep in mind that each case is strictly individual, and the presented response times are averages based on data from thousands of SkyRefund’s cases. 

 

How can SkyRefund help?

Flight cancellations can happen to anyone. In that case, it's important to know your rights and have a trusted partner on your side. This is where SkyRefund can help you. Trusted by over 1M passengers, we're a flight compensation company with over 8 years of legal experience in aviation law. We partner with a global legal network to help passengers exercise their rights regardless of where their journey is. 

Submitting a claim on our platform takes only a few minutes, and we handle the rest. So you can enjoy your vacation while we claim your compensation.