Cancelled Flight
and Compensation Eligibility
While cancelled flights are unfortunate, they don't necessarily have to be the end of your travel plans. In case your flight was cancelled less than 14 days prior to departure, we can help you get compensation up to 600 €.
Your Rights Under EC 261
The EC 261 Regulation establishes the rights of passengers when faced with flight disruptions. If your flight issue falls under the regulation, you may be entitled to compensation of up to 600 €.
Eligibility for Compensation
Passengers might be entitled to compensation if their flight meets the following criteria:
Your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.
You were not notified of the cancellation at least 14 days in advance, and the airline did not offer you an alternative flight close to your original departure time.
Flight is departing from an EU airport or arriving at an EU airport on an EU-based airline.
Cancellation is not caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather, political instability, or security risks.
Cancellation happened not more than 3 years ago (in some cases, the eligibility period may differ).
Distance and Time matters
If your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, the amount of compensation is determined by the flight distance and the length of the delay compared to the original flight schedule:
Up to 1 500 km
Under 2 hours
125 € *
More than 2 hours
250 € *
Never arrived
250 € *
1 500 km - 3 500 km
Under 3 hours
200 € *
More than 3 hours
400 € *
Never arrived
400 € *
More than 3 500 km
Under 4 hours
300 € *
More than 4 hours
600 € *
Never arrived
600 € *
* The amount of compensation estimated to be paid by the airline as stated in EC 261, before deducting our Service Fee
While your ticket might have been cheap, the price does not affect the amount of compensation you might be entitled to. Even if your ticket cost only 20 €, you might still get up to 600 € for flight cancellation, on average up to 3 years back.
Right to replacement flight
In case the airline informs you about a flight cancellation less than 14 days before departure, they must give you an alternative flight:
7 - 13 days
Alternative flight arriving no later than 4 hours to the final destination compared to the original flight.
Less than 7 days
Alternative flight arriving no later than 2 hours to the final destination compared to the original flight.
If the airline provides you with a replacement flight meeting these conditions, it is not obliged to pay you compensation for the cancellation.
Right for reimbursement or rebooking
If your flight came to the final destination later than shown above, the airline must pay you compensation for your loss of time and also give you the option to choose:
A full or partial refund of your original ticket and a return flight to your initial point of departure.
The earliest available alternative transportation to reach your final destination.
A new ticket to your final destination at a later date of your choosing, based on availability.
If the airline offers you an upgrade to a higher class on your rebooked flight, you can accept it without being charged any additional payment. In case you are involuntarily downgraded to a lower class than your original ticket, you may request a refund of the price difference between the original ticket and the downgraded ticket.
Right to Care and Assistance
Regardless of the distance of the flight, passengers are entitled to:
Meals and refreshments
Food or drink (or a voucher) after 2 hours.
Accommodation
In case of an overnight stay, airline must provide a hotel.
Access to communication
Phone call or an email provided by the airline.
Transportation
Transport to and from the airport or hotel.
Even if the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances, you are still entitled to care and assistance as mentioned above or a refund of such expenses in case you had to pay for them yourself. Use Flywize online form to submit your Expense Refund claim.
Claim up to 600 € for a cancelled flight now.
Flight Cancellation caused by Extraordinary Circumstances.
Am I still Eligible for Compensation?
Flight issues and their cause
Flight issues can be attributed to a variety of factors, some of which are beyond the control of airlines. These unforeseen events are termed "extraordinary circumstances" under the EC 261 regulation.
Your rights
Airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers if the flight issue is caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. However, you still have certain rights.
What are Extraordinary Circumstances
Unpredictable and severe weather events, like hurricanes or volcanic ash clouds, can disrupt air travel. Airlines are not held responsible for issues caused by these uncontrollable weather conditions.
How to Claim Flight Cancellation Compensation Under EC 261
If you've experienced a flight cancellation that falls within the criteria outlined by EC 261, you can claim compensation by following these steps:
Gather flight information
Collect details about your flight, including the flight number, date and your reservation booking number.
Keep all your documentation
Have your boarding passes, receipts for expenses and any communication with the airline.
Submit a claim with Flywize
Use our quick and easy online form to check your eligibility for free and submit your claim for compensation.
Let us handle it
Our team of experts will take care of the communication with the airline and handle the entire process.
Takes less than 5 minutes
I was Offered a Travel Voucher for Flight Cancellation. Am I still Eligible for Compensation?
When facing a flight cancellation, airlines often offer cash or travel vouchers to affected passengers. While these offers may seem tempting, it's important to be aware that by accepting cash or a travel voucher you lose your right to compensation under the EC 261 regulation.
Meal voucher
Airline may give you a food or drink voucher while you wait for your rebooked flight. This voucher is usually between 4 € - 20 € per person. You may accept a food or drink voucher, as it does not affect your right for compensation.
Travel voucher
Airlines often offer cash or travel vouchers to passengers affected by flight cancellation. Be aware of the value of the voucher or cash, as by accepting it you lose your right to request compensation.
40% of passengers who accept a travel voucher receive less than their entitled compensation amount.
Business Travel and Compensation
If you travelled for a business trip paid by your employer, it is still you who is eligible for compensation up to 600 € in case of a flight delay, cancellation, missed connection or overbooking.
Your employer purchased the ticket for your business trip.
Your flight was delayed or cancelled.
You as the passenger have the right to compensation.
Under EC 261, it is stated that it is the passenger who is entitled for compensation, not the person or company who paid for the ticket.
Questions about Cancelled Flights?
Check our our FAQs
If your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, and the cancellation is within the airline's control, you may be eligible for compensation under EC 261. The amount varies based on the flight distance and the time of arrival compared to the original time the flight was scheduled.
In the event of a flight cancellation, contact the airline immediately and request information on the cancellation and an alternative flight. If your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure because of reasons outside of the airline's control, you may be eligible for compensation up to 600 €. Fill out our quick online form to check if you're eligible.
If the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control (e.g., severe weather, strikes, security risks), you may not be eligible for compensation. However, the airline must still provide care and assistance and offer alternative transportation to your final destination.
If your flight was cancelled due to bad weather, you may not be entitled to compensation. However, the airline must still provide care and assistance and rebook you on a new flight or offer alternative ways of transportation to your destination. In case you had to purchase your new flight yourself, make sure to keep the receipts as you may request a Refund of Expenses.
Yes, you have the right to choose a refund of the ticket price if you decide not to take the alternative flight offered by the airline.
Compensation amounts depend on the flight distance and range from 250 € to 600 €. The amount also depends on the delay of the actual arrival compared to the original scheduled time. You can request compensation for your cancelled flight via our simple online form on flights on average up to 3 years back.
The time limit for claiming compensation for a cancelled flight in most cases is up to 3 years from the date of the flight, but in some cases the time period might be longer.
Yes, if your connecting flight is cancelled and you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to compensation under EC 261. Here you can find out more about how compensation works for Connecting flights.
If you accept a travel voucher offered by the airline for a cancelled flight, you lose your right to compensation under EC 261. We advise to choose wisely, as statistics show that 40% of passengers who accept a travel voucher are undercompensated compared to the amount of compensation they could be entitled to.
Check your travel insurance policy. Some policies may cover additional expenses incurred due to flight cancellations, depending on the terms and conditions. In case of a cancelled flight, the airline is obligated to provide care and assistance or refund such expenses if eligible.
EC 261 does not apply to situations where you decided to cancel your flight due to personal reasons or health issues etc. The right to compensation applies only when your flight is cancelled outside of your control, by the airline due to various reasons. In case you must cancel your flight, we advise you to contact the airline directly regarding their cancellation refund policy or check their terms & conditions and see if any refund policies apply to your ticket.
Accepting an upgrade does not affect your right to compensation and doesn't require you to pay any additional charge for a better seat. In the case of a downgrade, you may be entitled to a refund of the price difference between the original and downgraded tickets.
Flywize specializes in helping passengers navigate the complexities of flight disruptions. We can evaluate your situation, guide you on your rights and assist you in requesting compensation or care and assistance as applicable.