Flight cancelled or badly delayed: what to do next

In April 2010, ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano closed much of Europe's airspace for days and stranded millions of passengers. Most disruptions are smaller, but the same rule holds: the people who act calmly and quickly get the remaining seats and rooms first.

At the airport, in this order

• Open the airline app while you join the desk queue. Rebooking is often faster there.
• Ask what you are entitled to now: meals, a hotel and transfers if the wait runs overnight.
• Keep every receipt and take a screenshot of the cancellation or delay notice.
• Write down the reason the airline gives. It decides whether compensation applies.

Flights covered by EU and UK rules

EU rules (Regulation 261/2004) cover flights departing from the EU, and flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline. The UK kept a near-identical version after Brexit. If you arrive three hours or more late, or a flight is cancelled at short notice, you may be owed fixed compensation based on distance: €250, €400 or €600 under EU rules, and £220, £350 or £520 under UK rules. You also have the right to a refund or a new flight.

Flights in the USA

US law does not set fixed cash compensation for delays. Under US Department of Transportation rules, if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed or delayed and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a refund to your original payment method, rather than a voucher. Many airlines also publish commitments on meals and hotels when the cause is within their control.

After you get home

• Claim directly with the airline first, using its online form. It costs nothing.
• If the airline refuses and you believe the rules apply, national enforcement bodies and alternative dispute schemes can review it.
• Rules and amounts change. Check the official pages linked below before you claim.