A cancellation is the clearest case in air passenger rights law, yet most passengers never claim their money – or accept the first voucher they are offered. This guide takes you through the process, from what to do at the gate to getting paid.
1. At the airport: ask for three things
A written explanation. The airline must tell you the reason for the cancellation and inform you of your rights (Article 14 of the regulation). If you are not given anything on paper, photograph the departure board and save the notification e-mail or text message – the time you were told is decisive, because the 14-day rule depends on it.
Care. Meal vouchers, two phone calls (or e-mails), and if your journey slips to the next day, a hotel and transport to it. If the airline does not provide these, buy what is reasonable and keep the receipts.
Re-routing or a refund. This is your choice, not the airline’s. If you still want to get there today, ask for the earliest flight – even with another airline. If the trip no longer serves any purpose, ask for a full refund of the ticket price within 7 days.
2. Do not sign anything you do not understand
Airlines often offer a voucher – sometimes worth more than the ticket – but accepting it can mean losing a cash refund and often your compensation too. Under the regulation, money is the default; a voucher can only be given with your written agreement. If you want a refund, insist on the original payment method.
3. At home: check whether you are eligible
For a cancellation, compensation is due if:
- you were told less than 14 days before departure;
- the re-routing offered was not close to your original schedule (if you were told less than 7 days before: departure no more than 1 hour earlier and arrival no more than 2 hours later);
- there were no extraordinary circumstances – technical faults, staff shortages, the airline’s own strikes and ‘operational reasons’ do not count.
The calculator gives you the amount in two minutes: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger.
4. Submit your claim
Directly with the airline: use the ‘EU261 claim’ or compensation form on its website. Give your booking reference, flight number and date, and attach your boarding pass and the cancellation notice. State briefly what you are asking for: ‘Under Articles 5 and 7 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, I request compensation of €X per passenger.’
Through a claims agency: our partner, AirHelp, does the same on your behalf, and if the airline does not pay, takes the case to the authorities or to court – at its own risk, for a 35% fee if successful.
5. If your claim is rejected
The first rejection is often a template. Ask in writing for the specific extraordinary circumstance and the evidence for it. If the answer is not convincing:
- National enforcement body (NEB) – every EU/EEA country and the UK has one. Complaining is free, but its powers vary by country: in some, such as Hungary, the authority can order the airline to pay compensation (CJEU C-597/20), but this takes months and the decision can be challenged in court. See national enforcement bodies.
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) – some airlines have signed up to an ADR scheme.
- Court – compensation can ultimately be enforced through the courts; the European Small Claims Procedure (for claims under €5,000) is simplified.
- Claims agency – takes over steps 2–3 for you.
6. How long do you have?
Limitation periods vary by country and are set by national law – for example, 6 years in England and Wales, 5 years in Scotland and Hungary, and 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year of the flight). AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old. Do not put it off: evidence gets harder to obtain over time.
Related guide: Compensation for cancelled flights – the 14-day rule in detail