What is considered a cancellation?
- the original flight schedule is abandoned and the passenger is transferred to another scheduled flight
- the aircraft took off but returned to the airport of departure and the passengers were transferred to another flight
- the flight arrives at an airport that is not the final destination indicated on the ticket, unless:
- The passenger accepted re-routing to the airport of the original final destination or to any other destination agreed by the passenger. In this case, it is considered a delay and not a cancellation.
- The airport of arrival and the airport of the original final destination serve the same town, city, or region. In this case, it is considered a delay and not a cancellation.
EU air passenger rights for cancellation apply:
- If the flight is within the EU and is operated either by an EU or a non-EU airline
- If the flight arrives in the EU from outside the EU and is operated by an EU airline
- If the flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline
- If the passenger has not already received benefits (compensation, re-routing, assistance from the airline) for flight-related problems for this journey under the relevant law of a non-EU country.
EU regulations also apply to flights to and from Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
Travelling from the UK to an EU country
From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of cancellations to flights from the UK to the EU if the flight was operated by a UK or non-EU airline, even if the flight was booked before this date.
EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if the flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU airline unless the passenger has already received compensation or benefits under UK law.
However, UK rules on air passenger rights (UK 261) are mostly similar to EU 261 and apply:
- to passengers departing from a UK airport
- to passengers departing from outside the UK to an airport situated in:
- the UK if the operating airline is either an EU/EEA airline or a UK airline
- the EU/EEA if the operating airline is a UK airline.
One of the major differences is the replacement of the Euro value of the compensation with new Sterling amounts.
Cancelled flight policy differs from country to country. In this article, we mainly focus on EU 261 regulation. Passengers are advised to check the appropriate regulations depending on the flight jurisdiction.
Passenger rights in case of cancellation
If an airline cancels a flight, it is obliged to offer a passenger a choice between:
- the reimbursement of the ticket and, in case of a connecting flight within one reservation, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity
- re-routing to the final destination at the earliest opportunity or,
- re-routing at a later date at the passenger’s convenience under comparable transport conditions, subject to the availability of seats.
As soon as the passenger has chosen one of these three options, they no longer have rights in relation to the other two options. However, the airline may still have to provide compensation.
Assistance
The passengers of the cancelled flight are also entitled to free assistance at the airport, which includes:
- Refreshments
- Food
- Accommodation (if a passenger is rebooked to travel the next day)
- Transport to your accommodation and return to the airport
- 2 telephone calls, telex, fax messages or emails
If assistance is not offered and the passenger paid for their own meals and refreshments, the airline should reimburse them, provided the expenses were necessary, reasonable and appropriate. The passenger should keep all receipts for this purpose.
Flight cancellation compensation
If the passenger was informed of the cancellation less than 14 days prior to the scheduled departure date, they have a right to compensation. The airline has the obligation to prove if and when the passenger was personally informed that the flight was cancelled. The amount of compensation depends on the flight distance:
| Amount in EUR | Distance |
| 250 | 1 500 km or less |
| 400 | More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km |
| 600 | More than 3 500 km |
- If a passenger chooses to have their ticket reimbursed – the compensation will depend on the length of the flight
- If a passenger chooses re-routing – compensation will depend on the length of the flight and the delay in reaching the final destination, past the original scheduled arrival time.
When the compensation is reduced or not paid?
If the airline has offered re-routing and the passenger accepts it and reaches their final destination with a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours the compensation may be reduced by 50%. The reduced amounts may be:
| Amount in EUR | Delay (compared to original arrival time) | Distance |
| 125 | 0-2 hours | 1 500 km or less |
| 200 | 0-3 hours | More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km |
| 300 | 0-4 hours | More than 3 500 km |
A passenger is not entitled to compensation:
- if a passenger is informed more than 14 days in advance
- if a passenger is informed between 2 weeks and 7 days before the scheduled departure and is offered re-routing which would allow:
- to depart no more than 2 hours before the original scheduled time of departure and
- to reach the final destination less than 4 hours after the original scheduled time of arrival
- if a passenger is informed less than 7 days before the scheduled departure and is offered re-routing which would allow:
- to depart no more than 1 hour before the original scheduled time of departure and
- to reach the final destination less than 2 hours after the original scheduled time of arrival.
Compensation is not due if the airline proves that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided. Examples of such events are:
- air traffic management decisions
- political instability
- adverse weather conditions
- security risks
- strikes external to an airline
Turkish flight cancellation
The rules under Turkish regulation are similar to European, but the compensation amounts differ.
For domestic flights within Turkey, which were canceled, each passenger might be entitled to a flat compensation of €100.
When international flights are canceled, each passenger might be entitled to compensation in the amount of €125 to €600, depending on the distance of the flight and the delay time.
Canadian flight cancellation
The rules under Canadian regulation are similar to European, but the compensation amounts differ.
Passengers might be entitled to compensation in the amount of 125 to 1000 CAD, depending on the size of the airline and the delay time.
FAQ
How to check if a flight is cancelled?
To be informed about a flight status, one should monitor the airline's official website particularly their personal section or regularly check emails for updates from the airline. When already at the airport, they can also refer to the schedule screens or use the airport's website or app for real-time information.
What to do if a flight is cancelled?
If a flight gets cancelled, it is important to reach out to the airline as soon as possible to understand available options and make alternative arrangements. Keeping the evidence of cancellation, receipts for expenses that followed might be a good idea, considering future compensation and/or reimbursement.
How to claim compensation for a cancelled flight?
To claim for a cancelled flight compensation with Compensair it is only necessary to complete a brief online form, upload required documents, and monitor emails/profile for application updates. Passengers do not have to pay fee unless compensation is received.
Check your compensation in case you have experienced a disruption of an EU flight: