Cancelled Flights: Your Passenger Rights Explained in Detail

Few things cause as much anxiety at an airport as looking at the departure board and seeing the word "CANCELLED" in red next to your flight. However, under European regulations (EC 261/2004), you enjoy immense legal protection against these events.

Refund or Alternative Flight (Rerouting)

The exact moment your flight is cancelled, the airline is obligated to offer you a choice between two main options:

1. Ticket Refund: You can request a full refund of your ticket within 7 days. If you were taking a connecting flight and the original purpose of your trip is lost, you also have the right to a free return flight to your initial point of departure.
2. Alternative Transport: The airline must provide you with a flight to your final destination "as quickly as possible" or at a later date that suits you (subject to seat availability). If there are no flights on the airline's own network, they must find you a seat on competing flights at no extra cost.

Financial Compensation for Cancellation

As additional damages for the inconvenience caused by the cancelled flight, you have the right to claim up to €600, depending on when you were informed of the cancellation.

When are you NOT entitled to compensation?

Airlines do not pay the €250-€600 compensation if they notified you more than 14 days in advance. If they notify you with less than 14 days' notice, you are generally entitled to compensation unless they offer you an alternative flight that departs and arrives at a very similar time to your original one.

You are also not entitled if the cancellation was due to an extraordinary circumstance, as defined in the EC261 regulation (e.g., extreme storms, air traffic controller strikes).

What about hotel and food expenses?

If you choose the alternative flight and it departs the next day, the airline is fully obligated to pay for your hotel stay, transport to and from the airport, and provide you with meal vouchers. If the airline does not organize it for you on the spot (which often happens during cancellation chaos), keep all your receipts. You have the right to have these later expenses reimbursed (provided they are reasonable; a 5-star hotel or alcohol usually won't qualify).

The Travel Voucher Trick

Be very careful here. Due to a lack of information, when an airline mass-cancels flights, they may start sending emails offering "Vouchers" with some extra money added to your original ticket value. Legally, you have the right to cash/bank transfer! Only accept the voucher if you genuinely prefer to fly with that airline in the future instead of receiving cash.