Flight Cancellation Compensation

If your flight was cancelled without prior notice of at least 2 weeks you may have the right to compensation under EU 261 rule.

The amount of compensation is up to 600€.

Cancelled Flight Compensation

Flight cancellations can be a serious problem and definitely enough to ruin your plan. It’s one of the most frustrating things to experience for any air traveller.

It’s good to get to know your rights to which all EU member states are entitled. We at Claim Flights make it easier to claim cancelled flight compensation successfully without facing any difficulties.

Flight cancellation occurs when the airline does not operate the aircraft for a certain reason. It obliges airlines to inform their passengers of such mishaps.

flight cancellation

EU Air Passenger Rights: Know your Rights on Flight Cancellations

According to EU Regulation 261/2004, air passengers are entitled to compensation between 125€ and 600€. Passengers can claim compensation for flight cancellations without prior notice of at least 14 days.

The compensation amount varies depending upon the route distance and length of the delay. Depending on other circumstances (If replacement flight arrives) the flight cancellation compensation may be reduced by 50%.

In case of flight cancellation, the airline must provide an alternate flight to your final destination. You will probably be re-routed on a flight operated by the same airline, or their partnered airline, to take to your final destination as per your convenience.

Flight Cancelled: What should you do then?

At the airport, we recommend you to observe the following points:

  • Hold on to your boarding passes and any other travel documents.
  • Hear the announcements that may help you to understand the real status of your scheduled flight.
  • Ask the airlines to confirm the causes of the cancellation in a written document.
  • Collect pieces of evidence, such as receipts of expenses, billing records, vouchers, and alternative tickets.
  • You are required to check-in at least 3 hours prior to departure for international flights.
  • To save time at the airport, please arrive at the service desk with the boarding pass.
  • Don’t sign anything or accept any offers that may waive your rights.
  • Check if your flight is eligible for compensation.

Here are some of the situations when you can claim if your flight was cancelled.

Arrival and Departure EU Airline Non-EU Airline
1. Flight departing from an EU airport and arrival within EU Yes Yes
2. Flight departure from an EU airport and arrival outside the EU Yes Yes
3. Flight departure from a non-EU airport and arrival to an EU airport Yes No
4. Flight departure from outside the EU and arrival outside the EU No No
Flight delay compensation based on distance

Flight Cancellation Compensation

The rules for claiming compensation are sometimes complicated. There are three different scenarios explained below. If you are not so familiar, that’s no problem. We assist you to understand your rights here.

Scenario 1: You were informed about the flight cancellation less than 7 days before departure date

If your flight was cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled departure and the airlines offered you an alternate flight, and the flight was delayed at the final destination, you have a right to ask for compensation from the airlines.

Check the following table to know the amount you can claim from the airlines:

Flight Distance Departure And Arrival Flight Delay Hours Compensation
Less than 1,500 km Departure: at least 1 hour earlier & Arrival: up to 2 hours later 125€
Arrival: at least 2 hours late 250€
Between 1,500 km and 3,500 km Departure: at least 1 hour earlier & Arrival: up to 3 hours later 200€
Arrival: at least 3 hours later 400€
More than 3,500 km Departure: at least 1 hour earlier & Arrival: up to 4 hours later 300€
Arrival: at least 4 hours later 600€

Scenario 2: You were informed about the flight cancellation between 7 to 14 days before departure date

If your flight was canceled between 7 and 14 days before the scheduled departure and the airlines offered you an alternate flight, and the arrival delay exceeded certain time limits, you can use this table to determine the amount of compensation:

Flight Distance Departure And Arrival Flight Delay Hours Compensation
Less than 1,500 km Departure: 2+ hours earlier and arrival: 2 hours later 125€
Arrival: 4+ hours later (or)
Departure: 2+ hours earlier and arrival: 2+ hours later
250€
Between 1,500 km and 3,500 km Departure: 2+ hours earlier and arrival: 3 hours later 200€
Arrival: 4+ hours later (or)
Departure: 2+ hours earlier and arrival: 3 to 4 hours later
400€
More than 3,500 km Departure: 2+ hours earlier and arrival: 4 hours later 300€
Arrival: 4+ hours later 600€

Scenario 3: You are not eligible for compensation if…

  • you have been informed about flight cancellation 14 days prior to the scheduled departure, but you may claim a refund of your flight ticket cost.
  • If it involves any extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather condition, which are beyond the control of the airlines.
  • you reached your final destination on time with the rerouted flight.

Flight Cancellations: Ticket refund or replacement flight?

In the event of a flight cancellation you can choose the any of the following options:

  • Full refund of ticket costs.
  • Alternate flight to the final destination with the same carrier on next schedule.
  • Alternate flight to the final destination with another airline at a later schedule.

Note: If you choose the second option then the airline should provide you with the following facilities:

  • Meal and Beverages
  • Two phone calls, e-mails, faxes for communication.
  • Hotel Accommodation if a stay is necessary.
  • Transportation between the airport and the hotel.

Extraordinary Circumstances Rights

  • “Extraordinary Circumstances” came about because there are events that can disrupt flights that truly are beyond an airline’s control, that causes delayed flights, denied boarding, air traffic, downgrading and flight cancellations.
  • Under EU Regulation 261/2004, it is intended to enhance and enforce air passengers rights. Compensating them for the loss of their time and the inconvenience caused by long flight delays.
  • Please note that you will not receive compensation if the flight gets cancelled due to “Exceptional circumstance” (such as earthquake, volcanic eruption, strike, winter storm, bad weather etc).
  • However, you are entitled to compensation for technical faults.

Compensation with Claim Flights: Why Us?

For passengers who are looking for a professional service provider, we are the first choice. We represent you and assert your claim for compensation.

We provide you with up-to-date information and ensure that you are kept fully up-to-date at all times throughout the process. You will receive the compensation without having to invest your valuable time and money. There is no cost risk for you. We want to assure you that Claim Flights will represent you on a “No Win – No Fee” basis.

At Claim Flights, we make it easy for you to enforce your compensation claim for flight cancellations without any unnecessary complications. Use our compensation calculator to check your compensation amount.

We do provide you with the best service for dealing with EU flights from all over the world. We also assure you a hassle-free process all the way to your compensation.

Entitled To Claim? We Can Help You To Claim Your Compensation

Many people consider their chances very low to win a case against a huge airline but Claim Flights proves the opposite.

Our experts have all the expertise to know about flight cancellation compensation, so they can help you understand the details of compensation for flight cancellations rights.

We support you in enforcing your claims by making our service available to you in accordance with EC Regulation 261/2004. This will guarantee that you will not be confronted with any problematic legal issues.

We assure you that our database is one of the best. Use our compensation calculator to check the amount that you can claim.

If you want to write a compensation letter for flight cancellation to the airline, we have a free template to offer you. After you have entered the correct and complete information, you can easily access the data and details you need for your compensation claim.

If you have the right to a refund of ticket costs, the tour operator should claim them for you. You should receive the full refund of your costs within 7 days in cash, by check, credit card or by electronic bank transfer.

How we can help you?

We provide you with a comprehensive user interface that allows you to complete the claim form easily and without assistance. The layout is clear and simple and you will of course also receive a confirmation that no mistakes were made in filling out.

Once you’ve entered your flight details, flight number, we’ll show you more information so you can fully understand the true facts about your canceled flight. To avoid difficulties in tracking data, please always provide the correct information.

Flight Compensation Calculator

Some air travelers find it difficult to figure out exactly how much compensation they can demand from an airline.

With our flight compensation calculator, you can easily calculate the total amount and thus avoid confusion at a later date. The flight loss compensation calculator does all the work for you.

You will realize how worthwhile it would be for you to file a claim for flight cancellation. We have made it our primary goal to help you and all our users get well-deserved compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What to do when your flight is cancelled?

There are actions or steps you can take to make a canceled flight hassle-free.

  • Call to airline representatives and ask them to rebook you onto another flight.
  • Get free access to your airline’s website or social media while at the airport.
  • Ask the airline to pay for your meals and refreshments.
  • Ask about hotel accommodations, if the alternate flight is on next day.
  • Keep your receipts if your canceled flight ends up costing you some extra money.
  • Don’t sign anything or accept any offers.
  • Stay calm and be nice to the airline service provider.
  • At the airport, ask gate agents for help as they are responsible for processing and boarding passengers.
  • Know your flight cancellation rights & ask for airline cancellation compensation.

What is a flight cancellation? and how can I ask for compensation?

A flight is considered canceled if the flight you booked did not take place on the scheduled date and time.

You may claim compensation for canceled flights if you have been informed of the flight cancellation less than 14 days prior to the scheduled departure time and the arrival delay at the destination exceeds certain time limits.

How much compensation do I have for a flight cancellation?

In line with EU passenger rights regulation 261/2004, you can claim compensation for cancellations up to 600€ per person. The amount of compensation depends on the total duration of the delay and the total length of the route.

Use our Compensation Calculator to determine the exact amount of the sum you can charge for flight cancellation.

Can I ask for compensation for misplaced flights?

A misplaced or postponed flight is a flight which is scheduled to take place on a particular day at a specific time, but does not fly.

Under a general flight relocation policy, you are entitled to compensation from the airline if you have been informed of the relocation less than 14 days prior to the scheduled departure time and the arrival delay at the destination exceeds certain time limits. 

If you have been informed of the transfer more than 14 days before departure, you are not entitled to any compensation.

My flight was canceled can I claim compensation?

If you have been informed of the cancellation of your flight less than 14 days before your scheduled departure, you are entitled to compensation under the EU Passenger Rights Regulation 261/2004.

If an airline cancels a flight what are my rights?

  • You can claim a full refund of flight ticket costs.
  • Alternate flight to the final destination with the same carrier on next schedule.
  • Alternate flight to the final destination with another airline at a later schedule as per your convenience, subject to availability of seat and passenger request

If you choose the second option, you are also entitled to “Right to Care” service which includes the following:

  • Ask the airline to pay for your meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if a stay is necessary) as well
  • Two phone calls, e-mails, faxes for communication
  • Transportation between the airport and the hotel accommodation

Flight cancellation UK—what about Brexit Referendum?

All the flight cancellation rights fall under the EU regulations 261 for compensation. All the laws and regulation apply until the UK officially leaves the EU union on 29 March 2019.

Time will tell how this impacts on the UK but until then, the regulations stated above currently applicable.

Missed connecting flight— eligible for compensation?

A connecting flight is a flight which consists of more than one flight leg, meaning the original flight has at least one stop in between.

According to EU Regulation 261/2004, a connecting flight is only considered to be such if the flight is booked under one booking reference. You cannot claim compensation for a missed connecting flight if you have different booking numbers and tickets.

Which law applies with regard to claim compensation for flight cancellations?

EU 261 Rule sets out the criteria that must be met in order to claim compensation.

If your flight was delayed or cancelled, denied boarding due to overbooking, or missed the connecting flight, you can claim compensation up to €600 from the airlines under the EU Regulation.

Is there a time limit to claim compensation?

Your right to compensation under EU 261 has a certain time limit and can expire also, so it is important to know the Limitations for your claim.

The time limit of any claim is different in all countries and is determined by where the office is or which court of the country has cases concerning the airline.

Check out the list of countries with limitation period:

Countries Limitation Period
Belgium, Poland 1 year
Iceland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland 2 years
Italy 2 years 2 months
Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Norway 3 years
Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Spain 5 years
Cyprus, Ireland, United Kingdom 6 years
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia 10 years
Malta No limit
Dr. Mirko C. Ulbrich

Dr. Mirko C. Ulbrich

CEO

Dr. Mirko C. Ulbrich is founder and CEO at Claim Flights GmbH. He has made many Himalaya hiking trips, but has found a passion to grow roses and go hiking in the alpes.

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