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Flight cancellation compensation

You may be entitled up to £730 flight delay compensation. 

Unfortunately travel doesn’t always go according to plan. Read on to find out what your air passenger rights are and how to claim flight cancellation compensation.

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Flight cancellation compensation

1. What are flight cancellations?

Flight cancellations happen when a scheduled flight cannot proceed due to various factors, including bad weather, technical problems, security issues, or airport strikes.
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2. When Are You Entitled To Flight Cancellation compensation?

If the disruption meets the following three conditions, you are entitled to compensation.

i. Your flight was cancelled

If your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before the scheduled departure date, you are eligible for compensation. 

ii. Your Cancelled Flight Was From Or Within The EU

If your flight took off from an EU airport and landed anywhere outside the EU, or if it was operated by an EU-registered carrier and landed at an EU airport, you are eligible for compensation. 

iii. The Cancelled Flight Was The Airline's Fault

Lastly, only if the airline was responsible for the destruction are you eligible for cancelled flight compensation.

This includes: 

Operational Issues
The flight  was unable to arrive on time due to the airline’s mismanagement of crew planning.

Airplane Rotation Issues
The aircraft arrived late from its previous flight, causing a delay in flying your route.

Airplane Technical Issues
The flight was cancelled due to a manufacturing flaw or something breaking down in the plane.

Was your flight cancelled in the last 3 years?
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3. When are you not entitled to flight delay compensation?

i. Advance notice

If the airline informs passengers about the flight cancellation 14 days or more in advance, compensation is not applicable.

ii. Extraordinary circumstances exception

Passengers are not entitled to flight cancellation compensation if the delay results from “extraordinary circumstances.” These include lightning strikes, medical emergencies, strikes by airport employees or air traffic controllers, severe adverse weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, radar malfunctions, acts of sabotage, political unrest, acts of terrorism, and more.

iii. Snow as a 'serious adverse weather condition'

Whether snow is considered a serious adverse weather condition depends on the airline’s ability to prevent the issue. For instance, if the airline failed to stock sufficient de-icer before winter, leading to the delay while other airlines operated on time, they could be held responsible.

iv. Airline strikes not under extraordinary circumstances

The ECJ’s ruling in April 2018, followed by the UK’s legislation, declared that internal ‘wildcat strikes’ by flight staff do not fall under extraordinary circumstances. As a result, airlines are now required to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations caused by such strikes.

v. Exclusion for free or reduced fare travellers

Passengers travelling for free (e.g., air hostesses) or at reduced fares not accessible directly or indirectly to the public are ineligible for flight cancellation compensation.

vi. Cancelled flights: Re-routing

EC 261 (and its replacement, the “UK 261” law) covers all cancelled flights except when the airline provides at least 14 days’ notice. However, there’s a condition. If the airline offers you an alternative route, they can avoid paying cancellation compensation if the following conditions are met:

4. How much compensation can you get for a cancelled flight?

Your flight distance determines your compensation. The longer the flight, the larger the compensation.
Claim up to £730 no matter the price of the ticket

5. Flight cancelled?
Here are some handy tips.

  • Keep your boarding pass and other travel documents safe.
  • Inquire about the reason for the flight cancellation.
  • Request an alternate flight to your destination or a refund.
  • Note the arrival time at your destination.
  • Ask the airline to cover your meals and refreshments.
  • Avoid signing anything or accepting offers that might waive your rights.
  • Ensure the airline provides you with a hotel room, if needed.
  • Retain receipts for any additional expenses incurred due to the cancelled flight.
How it works:

As simple as fly.

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Our team of specialists will fight for your rights and handle your claim from A to Z.

As soon as we receive compensation we send you your money.

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6. FAQs About Cancelled Flight Compensation

In most cases, yes. Cancelled flights often qualify for compensation under Regulation EC 261 in Europe, the parallel law in the UK, and ANAC 400 in Brazil. You may be owed compensation if your replacement flight delays your arrival by 2 hours or more, if the cancellation occurred less than 14 days before departure, and if it was not due to circumstances beyond the airline’s control.

Claiming compensation for cancelled flights due to bad weather can be complicated. Most cancellations caused by bad weather are considered extraordinary circumstances, meaning the airline is not accountable as it was beyond their control. However, if other airlines managed to take off on time under similar weather conditions while your flight was substantially delayed, you may be eligible for compensation.

The time limit to claim compensation varies depending on the country and the specific laws governing the airline. It is determined by factors like the law under which you’re claiming, the airline’s headquarters, or the jurisdiction of the court handling airline cases.

The amount of compensation ranges from £110 to £730, depending on the distance of your scheduled flight and the total delay at your final destination.

You have three options to claim compensation: use a specialist service like Claim n win, engage a solicitor (but this may involve high upfront costs), or contact the airline directly to present your case.

Brexit has not significantly changed UK passengers’ flight cancellation rights. UK travellers can still claim up to £520 for eligible flight cancellations when departing from or arriving in the UK on a UK airline. The UK introduced “retained EU law,” which incorporates many EU laws into UK legislation. While the two laws are similar now, they may diverge over time due to ECJ rulings affecting only EU law.

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7. Know more about your rights

Flight delay compensation 

Flight Cancellation Compensation

Missed connection flight  compensation 

Overbooking Compensation

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