Air travel problems
Flight cancellation: refund, re-routing, care and compensation
The airline cancelled my flight — what must it do and what can I claim?
Applies to: European Union · United Kingdom · National law variesRules last checked:
On this page
In short
If an airline cancels your flight under EU rules, it must offer you a choice between reimbursement within seven days, re-routing at the earliest opportunity, or re-routing at a later date — and care while you wait. You may also be entitled to compensation, unless you were told early enough or the cause was extraordinary.
Compensation is not due if you were informed at least two weeks before departure, or with shorter notice if the replacement offered was close to your original times (see the table), or if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances.
What to do next
- Keep the cancellation notice and note the date and time you received it.
- Say in writing which option you choose — refund, re-routing now or later.
- Keep receipts for meals, transport and accommodation if the airline did not provide them.
- Check the notice period against the table before assuming a compensation claim is closed.
What to do
Refund, re-routing or later travel
- Reimbursement within seven days of the full cost of the ticket for the part or parts of the journey not made — and for parts already made if the flight no longer serves your purpose — together with a return flight to your first departure point, where relevant.
- Re-routing to your final destination under comparable transport conditions, at the earliest opportunity.
- Re-routing at a later date of your convenience, subject to seat availability.
Payment of a refund should be in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques — or, with your signed agreement, in travel vouchers and other services. You are not obliged to accept a voucher.
What to check
Care while you wait
On a cancellation the airline must offer meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time, and two telephone calls, fax or telex messages or emails. If the new flight you are offered leaves the day after the one originally planned or later, it must also offer hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and the hotel. These care duties continue even when the airline invokes extraordinary circumstances.
What to check
Compensation, and the notice that removes it
Compensation follows the same distance amounts as for delays (see the delay guide). It is not due if you were informed early enough (see the table) or if the cause was extraordinary. If you are re-routed, the airline may reduce the compensation by 50% when you arrive within 2, 3 or 4 hours — depending on distance — of the scheduled arrival. In the United Kingdom the retained regulation (UK261) applies instead; see the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s pages for the rules and amounts in pounds. The EU notice rules are:
| Notice given | Compensation removed only if the replacement offered… |
|---|---|
| At least 2 weeks before departure | — (no condition) |
| Between 14 and 7 days before | departs no more than 2 hours earlier and arrives less than 4 hours after the original arrival time |
| Less than 7 days before | departs no more than 1 hour earlier and arrives less than 2 hours after the original arrival time |
The airline carries the burden of proving whether and when you were informed. Compensation is also not due if the airline proves the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures taken.
Rules being revised
The EU institutions reached a political agreement in June 2026 on revised air passenger rights; the Parliament and the Council still have to formally endorse it, and the Commission says the revised rules would apply 12 months after adoption and publication. They are not yet applicable: the rules on this page are the ones in force today.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 on air passenger rights (Official Journal) — EUR-Lex, European Union
- National enforcement bodies for passenger rights — European Commission — European Commission
- Flight delays — UK Civil Aviation Authority — UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Claiming for costs and compensation — UK Civil Aviation Authority — UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Commission welcomes agreement on revised air passenger rights (15 June 2026) — European Commission
General information to help you understand your options — not legal advice, and not a promise that any payment or refund is due to you. Your rights depend on the facts of your journey and the law that applies; check the official sources above and the carrier’s own terms.