Cancelled and delayed flights: Your guide to your rights and compensation

Has your flight been cancelled or delayed? No matter the reason – whether it’s a natural disaster, international conflict or an air traffic control issue – you are entitled to assistance from your airline.

In cases where the cancellation is your airline’s fault, you may even be eligible for flight cancellation compensation.

Whatever the case, our guide to what happens if your flight is cancelled or delayed will help get you on your way again.

When am I entitled to flight delay compensation?

To be eligible for compensation, your flight must have arrived at your destination at least three hours later than scheduled. It also needs to be covered by UK law. These are flights that either:

• Depart from the UK, EU, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland
• Arrive in the UK on an EU or UK airline
• Arrive in the EU on a UK airline

You’re unlikely to receive compensation for delays caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

What are my rights if my delayed flight is with a non-UK/EU airline?

As The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Regulations 2019 only protect passengers travelling with a UK/EU airline or out of a UK/EU airport, you won’t have exactly the same rights. Check the policy of the airline you are travelling with.

What are ‘extraordinary circumstances’?

Extraordinary circumstances are those deemed to be outside the airline’s control and which, even if the airline had taken reasonable measures, would have delayed the flight. They include:

• Extreme weather such as snow or thunderstorms
• Natural disasters, such as the volcanic ash cloud that grounded flights in 2010
• Industrial strikes by airport staff, ground handlers and air traffic control
• Manufacturing defects

Airline staff strikes, staff shortages and technical faults are not considered ‘extraordinary circumstances’ but it's unclear whether IT glitches come under the umbrella. You can still try your luck with a compensation claim – if you don't ask, you don't get, after all.

It’s also important to remember that even if a long delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances and you are not therefore entitled to compensation, your airline must look after you and offer a welfare package.

What should I do if my flight is cancelled?

If you’re already at the airport when your flight is cancelled, your airline is obliged to provide assistance, which should include vouchers for food and drink.

If they don’t, make sure you keep all receipts and documentation related to your flight and any expenses incurred due to the cancellation. This isn't just essential for potential insurance claims, but also for claiming reimbursement from the airline for reasonable expenses.

If your flight is cancelled days or weeks before your departure date, you’ll be notified by your airline by email or text and given the opportunity to choose another flight or receive a refund.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight is covered by UK or EU law, your airline must let you choose between two options:

1. A refund: If you no longer want to travel, you’re entitled to your money back for all unused parts of your ticket (ie if your outbound leg of a return flight is cancelled, you can receive a refund for the full cost of your flight)
2. An alternative flight: If you still want to travel, your airline must book you on the next equivalent available flight, even if it’s with a different airline. You can also choose to fly at a later date that suits you. This may be especially useful for a short-haul weekend away as you may be cutting your holiday drastically short if you can’t reschedule on the same day.

Does the airline have to provide assistance while I wait?

Yes, if your flight is cancelled and you're already at the airport, the airline is obliged to provide care and assistance in the form of :

• Food and drink, usually via vouchers for airport cafes and restaurants
• A way for you to communicate, by refunding the cost of your calls
• Nearby accommodation, if your earliest flight is the next day
• Transport to and from the accommodation, or your home if it's nearby

You are entitled to this care until you can get to your destination – regardless of the cause of your flight cancellation.

Am I entitled to further assistance?

If your flight is delayed by more than two hours, your airline may have to offer you a ‘welfare package’ that includes food, drink, phone calls and, if you are delayed overnight, accommodation plus transport to and from where you are staying.

When your airline is obliged to offer you this welfare package depends on the distance you are travelling in kilometres. The table below outlines how long you must be delayed before you’re entitled to assistance:

If your airline does not offer to provide the welfare package itself – for example, in the form of meal vouchers or by booking accommodation for you – talk to a representative at the airport to find out what it considers ‘reasonable costs’ to be and get an agreement that you can sort out your own welfare.

If you do arrange your own accommodation or buy meals, keep all your receipts to make claiming back any costs you have incurred as easy as possible.

What if the airline doesn't provide assistance?

During major disruptions, airlines may be unable to arrange assistance for all its passengers. If this happens, you have the right to organise it yourself – at a reasonable cost – and claim it back later.

Keep every receipt and keep your spending reasonable if you have to pay your own way – it’s unlikely you’ll get a refund on a luxury hotel or alcohol.

Can I get compensation for a cancelled flight?

When it comes to claiming compensation for a cancelled flight, timing is everything – if your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before you’re due to fly, you could be eligible to make a claim.

These compensation rules apply to many flights to, from or within the UK. To be covered, your flight must either:

• depart from an airport in the UK on any airline, or
• arrive at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline, or
• arrive at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.

It's worth noting that you won't be entitled to compensation if the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control. That includes the current situation at Heathrow Airport.

These can include severe weather conditions, security risks, political instability, unexpected flight safety shortcomings, air traffic control restrictions or strikes that affect the operation of the airline. However, most technical problems with the aircraft or issues with crew scheduling are not considered extraordinary circumstances.

Flight cancellation compensation

The amount of compensation you may be entitled to depends on how much notice you were given of the cancellation and the arrangements for your alternative flight.

If you received 7 to 14 days' notice

If your flight was cancelled between 7 and 14 days before departure, you may be eligible for compensation based on the timings of your alternative flight.

When your replacement flight arrives at the final destination more than four hours late, you're entitled to full flight cancellation compensation regardless of when the flight departs. The amount depends solely on the flight distance: £220 for short-haul flights, £350 for medium-haul flights or £520 for long-haul flights.

For flights cancelled with 7 to 14 days' notice, a special compensation rule applies when your replacement flight departs more than two hours before your original scheduled time but still arrives at your destination late.

You are not entitled to compensation if your replacement flight departs up to two hours before or any time after your original flight and arrives less than four hours late at your final destination.

Airlines may try to offer you vouchers instead of a cash compensation; you don’t have to accept them.

If you received less than 7 days' notice

For cancellations announced less than seven days before departure, the rules are slightly different. You can only claim compensation if:

• Your new flight takes off no more than one hour before your original departure time

AND

• Your new flight lands more than two hours after your original arrival time

If you’re eligible, you’ll be entitled to the following:

It's worth noting that you won't be entitled to compensation if the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control, such as severe weather or air traffic control strikes.

What if my flight is cancelled on a package holiday?

If you booked a package holiday and your flight is cancelled, your travel company should contact you to offer assistance. As well as the above, you have additional rights to cover your holiday.

If new arrangements cause a significant change to your holiday, or if your flight can't be rearranged and your holiday has to be cancelled, your travel operator must offer an alternative holiday.

If they can’t, they must refund the full package price.

Does travel insurance help with a cancelled flight?

While many basic policies don't offer insurance for cancelled or delayed flights, it's worth checking your policy. If you paid with a credit card, you might also be able to claim through your card provider. Some debit cards also offer protection.

Remember, travel insurance is crucial. It's always wise to ensure you have some type of insurance to protect you in the event of cancelled or delayed flights.

How do I claim compensation for a cancelled flight?

To claim compensation, you'll need to contact the airline directly. Be prepared with all your flight details and booking reference numbers. Keep records of all communication and any responses from the airline.

You should then follow the procedure as advised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). When you are ready to claim, the airline’s website will let you know how best to contact it. We’ve put pulled together some quick links for popular airlines below:

• British Airways flight delay compensation
• easyJet flight delay compensation form
• Jet2 flight delay compensation form
• Ryanair flight delay compensation form

If you're not satisfied with the airline's response, you can escalate your complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme if the airline is a member of one, or to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Remember, staying informed about your rights and keeping all relevant documentation can make a significant difference when dealing with flight cancellations.

You can use our template for your flight delay compensation claim.

Should I use a claims company?

You might be tempted to use a claims company, but these firms charge a fee for their services and are entirely unnecessary for most passengers in claiming compensation.

The claims process is straightforward, so why part with any of the sum you are due? The CAA’s passenger portal should help to resolve any problems.

I’ve previously made a claim but haven’t received anything – what should I do?

If your airline has refused to pay out, you may be able to escalate your complaint via an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body.

More than 30 airlines are signed up to a CAA-approved ADR body, which deal with flight delays, cancellations and denied boarding issues; EC1107 matters (issues relating to passengers with reduced mobility); and lost, delayed and damaged baggage issues.

If your airline isn’t part of one of these schemes, you’ll need to get in touch with the relevant regulator (like the CAA in the UK). You can find more information on the CAA website.

You have six years to claim compensation in England and Wales, and five in Scotland. It’s important to be aware that you will need copies of your original letters and/or receipts to pursue your claim.

How can I avoid delayed or cancelled flights?

If you're booking with a budget airline, it's worth doing a quick Google search to check for any warning signs. For example, when Flybmi went into administration, some customers reported they'd purchased flights hours before the announcement. However, it was common knowledge the airline was in trouble and a quick Google News search would have given the most carefree traveller cause for concern.

Use your common sense – if it's a short flight with a bargain basement price, you're less likely to be concerned about rumoured financial problems, but if it's a long-haul route, consider paying extra to fly with a more reliable airline.

TravelSupermarket’s top tips

• In the event of any delay or cancellation, talk to your airline for guidance on why you have been delayed and how to claim your welfare package – don’t spend anything yourself that you expect to get back without clarifying it with your airline.
• To make a successful claim, keep all relevant receipts as well as your tickets, and write down as many details as possible at the time of your delay so you don’t forget any key facts.
• Always take out a travel insurance policy that includes protection for travel delays to cover you for any extra costs you may incur – such as not being able to turn up to your booked accommodation.