Rebooking and alternative routes after a flight disruption

The right to re-routing arises with cancellation and denied boarding; after a long delay in departure the regulation gives the refund option, and re-routing is something to ask the airline for. Re-routing means transport to your final destination under comparable transport conditions, at the earliest opportunity, or at a later date at your convenience subject to seat availability. It is the airline’s obligation to offer it; ask what it will cover, and keep receipts.

‘Earliest opportunity’ is not defined as a fixed number of hours: ask which flights, including those of other airlines if the airline agrees, could get you there, and ask for the arrival time in writing.

Sometimes the practical alternative is not a flight. Our transport pages show published journey times, named operators and how often services run between cities, airports and stations across 28 countries — use them to see whether a train, coach or ferry is realistic, and to check the operator’s own timetable for the day.

If you choose an overland route on your own, note the carrier’s answer to your re-routing request first: agreeing an alternative with the airline is what protects a later reimbursement claim.

The airline must provide meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time and two communications, plus accommodation with transport where an overnight stay is necessary. Keep receipts if it does not.

For flights covered by UK261 rather than the EU regulation, check the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s pages for the corresponding rules before relying on the EU wording here.