Flight cancelled

What to do right now

1. Stay at the airport (or contact the airline immediately if cancelled before you arrived). The airline owes you either a rebooking on the next available flight or a full refund within 7 days.

2. Get the cancellation reason in writing — text message, email, or screenshot of the airline app. You'll need this for the compensation claim.

3. If you accept the rebooking but your replacement flight is much later, the airline must provide meals, refreshments, and (if delay > 5 hours) accommodation.

Your rights

• Choice between full refund within 7 days OR rebooking on alternative flight (same day or later).
• Care obligation: meals, refreshments, two phone calls or emails, and overnight accommodation if needed.
• Compensation €250–€600 unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances (severe weather, ATC strike, security alert, etc.).
• If you arranged your own alternative travel, the airline must reimburse you for the original ticket but not the new one.

How to claim

1. File the claim within 6 weeks via the airline's website (mandatory first step under most regulations).

2. If the airline refuses or doesn't respond in 2 months, escalate to your national enforcement body (CAA in the UK, BMVI in Germany, ÚCL in Czechia, etc.).

3. Or use a claims management service like AirHelp / Click2Refund — they take 25–35 % of the award but handle paperwork and lawsuits if needed.

When compensation is NOT due

• Cancellation announced 14+ days before departure.
• Extraordinary circumstances: severe weather, political instability, security risks, ATC strikes.
• You voluntarily gave up your seat in exchange for compensation.
• Your flight wasn't departing from an EU/EEA airport on a non-EU airline.

Other scenarios