Quick Guide On What to do if Your Flight Gets Cancelled

AUGUST 9, 2021

Getting flight cancellation compensation isn’t as straightforward as it seems, otherwise, everyone would be getting compensated. Many people tend to ignore it to avoid going through the seemingly tedious process. However, as long as you know your rights regarding this and understand the necessary steps required, you can claim compensation whenever your flight gets cancelled.

This article contains a quick guide to let you know what to do if your flight gets cancelled.

Contact the Airline Right Away

In many cases, you would be notified of the cancellation and possibly the rescheduled date, as these flights often get rebooked. However, you may still need to contact them for other reasons. This may include if you haven’t gotten an official notification from them, if you got notified less than 14 days to the departure date, and also to know the reason for the cancellation. Confirm arrangements for the next date if you want the flight rescheduled or cancel your booking entirely. This contact will also be an avenue to discuss other important matters regarding the cancellation with the airline, some of which are highlighted below.

Describe What Happened

As you contact the airline, you must also be considering how to get compensated. There are different ways to contact these airlines but the most effective would be via email. Describe in detail what went wrong with your flight experience, how much money you claim, and most importantly, include the right quote from the EU Regulation 261/2004 (or EC 261). The EC 261 is the flight compensation regulation to assist passengers with any form of flight disruption.

Know the Law

To claim your rights, you must know the law that applies to you. In this case, it is the EC 261.

You are entitled to a refund if the airline informed you about the cancellation less than 14 days before your flight’s scheduled departure date. The law states that if the airline fails to notify you on time, you could be entitled to €250 – €600 depending on the distance of the flight. To claim this, the reason for the cancelled flight must be within the airline’s control, i.e it’s something they could have avoided had they taken appropriate measures.

Take Advantage of Higher Authorities

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