Flight Cancellation Compensation - How To Claim Compensation For Your Cancelled Flight

No Win No Fee Flight Cancellation Compensation

As the UK’s leader in flight cancellation compensation claims, we’ve helped passengers claim over £86 million in compensation from the airlines, more than any other UK firm.

Join the 760,000 UK airline passengers who’ve chosen Bott and Co to claim their no win no fee flight cancellation compensation.

How Do I Claim Compensation For A Cancelled Flight?

Since 2013, Bott and Co has been helping airline passengers enforce their legal rights and claim compensation under EU Regulation 261.

We have won multiple landmark cases at the Supreme Court, helping millions of passengers claim compensation from airlines.

For those who choose to have our industry-leading legal team represent them, we provide our services on a no win no fee basis. This means you are at no financial risk if your claim is unsuccessful.

The easiest way to start your claim for a cancelled flight is to add your flight details into our free flight cancellation compensation calculator to find out how much you can claim.

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Flight Cancellation Claims Calculator

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When Can I Claim Compensation For A Cancelled Flight?

You may be entitled to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure and the airline is responsible for the cancellation.

Whether you can claim may also depend on the departure and arrival times of any replacement flight the airline offers.

If your flight is cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances that are outside the airline’s control, you would not normally be entitled to compensation.

What Are My Rights Under UK261 And EU261 If My Flight Is Cancelled?

EU Regulation 261 was introduced to protect air passenger rights when flights are delayed or cancelled, or when passengers are denied boarding. UK261 provides similar protections for passengers on flights covered by UK law.

If your flight is cancelled, EU261 and UK261 give passengers the right to choose between a refund or a replacement flight to your destination.

Depending on your circumstances, you may also be entitled to:

• Care and assistance while you wait for a replacement flight, including food and refreshments and, when required, hotel accommodation.
• Flight cancellation compensation of up to £520 per passenger.

Your right to a refund or replacement flight applies regardless of why your flight was cancelled, even if it was out of the airline’s control.

Your right to claim compensation for your cancelled flight will depend on when you were told about the cancellation, the reason your flight was cancelled and the timings of any replacement flight.

How Do I Know If My Cancelled Flight Is Covered By EU261?

EU261 and UK261 protect passengers on all flights departing from a UK or EU airport, regardless of which airline operates the flight.

EU261/ UK261 covers the following flights:

• Any flight departing from a UK or EU airport, regardless of which airline operates the flight
• Flights arriving in the UK or EU from outside the UK or EU when operated by a UK or EU airline.

For example, if you fly from London to New York, your flight is covered regardless of the airline because it departed from a UK airport.

However, when you depart from an airport outside the EU or UK, the airline you fly with becomes important.

If you were flying from New York to London on British Airways, you would be covered because British Airways is a UK airline. However, if you flew from New York to London on American Airlines, you wouldn’t be covered because American Airlines is not based in the EU or the UK.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Cancelled Flight?

You may be able to claim between £110 and £520 in compensation for a cancelled flight under EU261 or UK261, depending on the circumstances of your cancellation.

How much compensation you can claim for a cancelled flight will depend on:

• How many days before departure you were informed of the cancellation
• The length of your flight
• The difference in departure and arrival times between your original flight and your replacement flight

The amount of compensation you may receive will also depend on whether you were given less than 7 days’ notice or between 7 and 14 days’ notice of the cancellation.

Claiming Compensation For Flights Cancelled Less Than 7 Days Before Departure

If your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before departure, you have the right to choose between a refund or a replacement flight to your final destination.

You may also be entitled to compensation if the airline was responsible for the cancellation and it was not due to extraordinary circumstances.

Compensation amounts for flights cancelled less than 7 days before departure depend on the time difference between your original scheduled flight and your replacement flight.

How Much Compensation Can You Claim For A Cancelled Flight Less Than 7 Days Before Departure?

To reflect the greater disruption a cancellation at such short notice may cause, compensation amounts in these instances are higher than for flights cancelled between 7 and 14 days before departure.

Claiming Compensation For Flights Cancelled 7 To 14 Days Before Departure

When an airline cancels your flight between 7 and 14 days before you are due to travel, you can ask for a full refund or accept a replacement flight to your destination.

Receiving advance notice of the cancellation does not necessarily mean you lose your right to compensation. If the cancellation was the airline’s responsibility, you may still have a claim depending on the departure and arrival time of the replacement flight you were offered.

Can I Claim Compensation If My Flight Is Cancelled More Than 14 Days Before Departure?

If the airline tells you that your flight has been cancelled more than 14 days before departure, you will not be entitled to flight cancellation compensation under EU261 or UK261.

However, you still have the right to choose between a full refund for the cancelled flight or a replacement flight to your destination.

These rights apply regardless of the reason your flight was cancelled.

What Is The Time Limit To Claim Compensation For A Cancelled Flight?

In England and Wales, you have up to 6 years from the date of your cancelled flight to make a claim for compensation. In Scotland, the time limit is 5 years.

Different time limits can apply to claims made in other European countries, so it is important to check the limitation period that applies to your claim.

Can I Get A Refund If My Flight Is Cancelled?

Yes. You have the right to a full refund if the airline cancels your flight, and you decide not to accept a replacement flight.

Your right to a refund applies regardless of why the flight was cancelled. This means you can still ask for your money back if the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances and you are not entitled to compensation.

If you choose a refund, the airline is no longer responsible for arranging an alternative flight to your destination.

When Can I Get A Replacement Flight If The Airline Has Cancelled My Flight?

If the airline cancels your flight and you still want to travel, you can choose a replacement flight instead of accepting a refund.

The airline is legally responsible for booking you on a flight to your final destination at the earliest opportunity, including on another airline if it gets you there faster.

If you choose to travel on a replacement flight, you may also be entitled to care and assistance while you wait. You may also be able to claim compensation, depending on the circumstances of the cancellation and when your replacement flight departs and arrives at your final destination.

Alternatively, you can choose to travel at a later date that is more convenient for you, subject to seat availability.

What Happens If My Flight Is Cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled, the airline should contact you to let you know and explain the options available to you.

You will need to decide whether you still want to travel. If you do, ask the airline to arrange a replacement flight to your destination. If you no longer want to travel, you can request a refund instead.

If you are already at the airport or waiting for a replacement flight, the airline may also be responsible for providing you with food, refreshments and, if necessary, overnight accommodation.

You should also check whether you are entitled to compensation. Receiving a refund or travelling on a replacement flight does not prevent you from claiming compensation if your cancellation qualifies.

For more information about what to do immediately after a cancellation, read our guide to what happens if your flight is cancelled.

What Happens If My Cancelled Flight Causes Me To Miss A Connecting Flight?

As long as your connecting flight is part of the same booking, the airline is responsible for arranging an alternative flight to get you to your final destination.

While you wait for your replacement flight, you may also be entitled to care and assistance, including food and refreshments and, if an overnight stay is necessary, hotel accommodation and transport.

If you booked your connecting flights separately, the airline is not legally responsible for getting you to the final destination shown on your separate booking.

Am I Entitled To Care And Assistance If My Flight Is Cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled and you are waiting for a replacement flight, the airline has a duty to provide you with care and assistance.

Depending on how long you have to wait, this can include:

• Food and refreshments.
• Two phone calls, emails or other forms of communication
• Hotel accommodation if you need to stay overnight
• Transport between the airport and your accommodation
• Your right to care and assistance applies regardless of why your flight was cancelled, including when it is outside of the airline’s control and because of extraordinary circumstances

If the airline does not provide the care you are entitled to, you may need to pay for food, accommodation or transport yourself. Keep all receipts, as you can ask the airline to reimburse you for reasonable expenses.

What Does It Mean If My Flight Is Cancelled Due To Extraordinary Circumstances?

Under EU261, extraordinary circumstances are defined as events outside the airline’s control that could not have been avoided even if the airline had taken all reasonable measures.

If extraordinary circumstances are responsible for your flight being cancelled, the airline will not normally be required to pay compensation.

Examples can include unexpected severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, airport closures and strikes by third parties outside the airline’s control, such as air traffic control or airport staff.

However, even if your flight was cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances, you still have the right to a refund or replacement flight and, where applicable, care and assistance.

Can I Claim If My Flight Is Cancelled Because Of Bad Weather?

Your right to claim compensation if your flight was cancelled because of bad weather will depend on whether the weather conditions affecting your flight were considered unusual or unexpected.

The weather must also have directly affected the flight you were booked on. If bad weather disrupted an earlier flight operated by the same aircraft, but conditions did not prevent your flight from operating, you may still have a claim.

Can I Claim Compensation If My Flight Is Cancelled Because Of Air Traffic Control?

If your flight is cancelled because of a decision or restriction imposed by air traffic control, you would not usually be entitled to compensation because decisions made by air traffic control are outside the airline’s control.

This could include air traffic control restricting the number of aircraft allowed to take off or land, closing airspace or preventing your flight from operating because of safety concerns.

However, the airline must be able to show that the air traffic control restriction directly affected the flight you were booked on and caused it to be cancelled.

Can I Claim Compensation If My Flight Is Cancelled Because Of A Strike?

You may be able to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled because of strike action taken by the airline’s own employees, such as pilots, cabin crew, baggage handlers and check-in staff.

Strikes involving the airline’s own employees are not considered extraordinary circumstances, as managing relationships with its staff forms part of the normal operation of an airline.

However, you would not normally be entitled to compensation if your flight was cancelled because of strikes by air traffic control, airport or border control staff.

Regardless of who is taking strike action, you will still have the right to a refund or replacement flight and, where applicable, care and assistance.

Can I Claim If My Flight Is Cancelled Because Of Staff Shortages?

You may be entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled because the airline does not have enough staff available to operate the flight.

Airlines must ensure they have sufficient pilots and cabin crew to operate their scheduled flights, so staff shortages are not normally considered an extraordinary circumstance.

This can include cancellations caused by pilot or cabin crew sickness, reaching their permitted working or flying hours, and the airline being unable to provide replacement crew.

Can I Claim For Compensation If My Flight Is Cancelled Because Of A Technical Fault?

You may be entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled because of a technical fault with the aircraft.

Technical problems that occur as part of the normal operation and maintenance of an aircraft are generally the airline’s responsibility and are not considered extraordinary circumstances.

This can include mechanical or electrical faults found during routine maintenance or pre-departure checks.

However, some technical problems can be considered extraordinary circumstances. For example, a hidden manufacturing defect affecting an aircraft’s safety may be outside the airline’s control, and you would not be due compensation.