I had a flight cancellation, can I claim compensation?

Can I get compensation for a cancelled flight?

If your airline is based in the UK or EU, or you're flying from a UK or EU airport, your airline must help if your flight is cancelled or delayed.

Depending on how long you are delayed and the reason why, you could be entitled to:

• a refund or alternative flight
• food, phone calls and accommodation
• flight cancellation compensation

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Will I be put on a new flight or be refunded?

If your flight is cancelled, you have the right to choose between claiming a full refund or rerouting. Unless you no longer want to travel, rerouting is likely to be the best option as buying last minute flights is usually expensive. 

1. An alternative flight (airlines call this rerouting) to your destination.

• rerouting to your final destination at the earliest opportunity. This includes flying in other airlines. 
• rerouting to your final destination at a later date convenient to you.
• If your flight wasn't direct and was cancelled part way through, you are entitled to a flight back to your original point of departure or to be refunded in full.

You also get:

• a means for you to communicate - this could come in the form of a refund for the cost of you calls.
• a reasonable amount of food and drink if it's a long-enough delay, this could be offered as vouchers.
• free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers if an overnight stay is required, usually you will be offered a hotel near the airport.

Your rights apply whether you're waiting in the airport, have boarded the plane or you're stuck on the tarmac.

Sometimes airlines do not provide the care and assistance that is expected for all passengers, this can particularly be the case when there are staff shortages. If this happens to you and you have to pay for food, drinks, accommodation and transport then you should keep a copy of your receipts to claim for a reimbursement. You are unlikely to get a refund for luxury hotels or alcohol. 

Or

2. Cancel your flight and get a refund. You can also choose this option if the delay lasts for five hours or more but the flight isn't cancelled. 

You must receive a refund of the full cost of the flight within seven days. But once you take a refund the airline no longer has a duty of care towards you and you can't claim back any further expenses you have. 

If you're travelling with a non-EU based airline flying from a non-EU destination, the airline doesn't have the same duty to look after you. Check the airline's Condition of Carriage to see what compensation you are entitled to.

Your entitlement rights for flight cancellations

If you choose to be rerouted, you can treat any extra time you have to wait as a delay. Under the Denied Boarding Regulation, what you're entitled to depends on the length of your delay, and how much notice you were given of the cancellation.

If you were given less than seven days' notice and your new flight departs more than one hour early or arrives more than two hours later than your original flight or if you were given less than 14 days' notice and your flight departs more than two hours early or arrive more than two hours late, you're entitled to the following:

• two free phone calls or emails
• free meals and refreshments appropriate to the length of the delay
• free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers if an overnight stay is required

Each affected passenger can claim compensation

How to claim compensation for flight cancellations

Unless 'extraordinary circumstances' affected your flight, you can claim compensation.

Extraordinary circumstances are situations beyond the control of the airline, for example, a security risk, political unrest or severe weather that makes flying dangerous. This also covers delays and cancellations due to a strike. Strikes by airline staff and staff sickness are not considered an extraordinary circumstance.

Although you are not entitled to compensation you are still entitled to the meals, refreshments, accommodation and hotel transfers depending on the length of your flight and delay.

How much flight delay compensation should I get?

If you're booked onto an alternative flight (airlines call this rerouting) to your destination, you can claim for the delay based on your original flight's arrival time. 

All compensation figures are per passenger.

It's important to note that all compensation amounts for a cancellation can be reduced by 50% if the airline offers re-routing, which would not exceed the flight delay timeframes.

If you're flying between two EU airports with a non-UK airline then the EU version of the rules (EC261) will apply, and your compensation will be paid in euros.

Connecting flights

If a connecting flight during your journey is affected by a delay and you departed from the UK or an EU country, you can still claim compensation. For example, if you were flying from Manchester to Sydney, connecting in Singapore, but your Singapore to Sydney flight was delayed, you'd still be entitled.

How to appeal a decision

If you have an unresolved complaint about an airline, it must inform you about an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme that you can use to help get an outcome.  

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) hold a list of approved providers of ADR and the airlines they cover.

You also have the right to take an airline to the small claims court if you feel it is unfairly refusing to pay you compensation. It's a good idea to get some legal advice if you decide to take this route.