What should I do if my flight is cancelled?
Ask the airline immediately for a rebooking on the next available flight (including partner carriers) or a full refund, and request duty-of-care — meals, calls, and a hotel if you are stranded overnight. On EU-covered flights you may also be owed €250–€600 in cash compensation.
Do the three things in this order. First, secure transport: get in the rebooking queue at the desk and simultaneously call the airline's phone line — whichever reaches an agent first wins. Ask about partner-airline options; most carriers will endorse your ticket to a competitor when their own schedule is broken.
Second, secure duty-of-care. Under EU 261 and similar rules (UK APR, Canada APPR), the airline must provide food, drink, communications, and accommodation until you fly. Keep every receipt if you have to arrange it yourself.
Third, secure compensation. EU-departing flights and EU-carrier arrivals qualify for €250–€600 in cash if the cancellation was inside 14 days and the airline cannot blame extraordinary circumstances. File the claim in writing after you get home; airlines routinely reject first attempts, so be prepared to escalate to the national enforcement body.
Handle a cancelled flight — the 3-step recovery
- Queue and call in parallel — Join the rebooking queue at the desk and simultaneously call the airline’s phone line. Whichever reaches an agent first, take the offer.
- Ask for partner-airline rebooking — Under EU 261 and most national rules the airline must offer re-routing “at the earliest opportunity, under comparable transport conditions” — that includes competitors. Ask explicitly.
- Claim duty-of-care immediately — Meals, communications, and (for overnights) a hotel plus transfers are owed regardless of the cancellation cause. If the airline does not arrange them, pay and keep every receipt.
- Choose refund or rebooking, not both — Once you accept a refund the airline’s duty-of-care ends. Only pick refund if you have a workable Plan B.
- File the cash-compensation claim after you arrive — Submit in writing within the national limitation period (2–3 years in most EU states). Include booking reference, flight number, notice given (<14 days), and requested amount.
Related reading
Last verified 2026-07-29.