What to do at the airport in case of flight cancellation?

Are you at the airport and find out that your plane will not leave? Here’s what you can do on site in case of flight cancellation.

You arrived at the airport, delighted with the idea of your next trip, and this is the cold shower: you are told that you will not be able to leave. The plane is overbooked, an impromptu strike prevents takeoffs, or your plane encounters a technical problem. You are in the hall, your luggage on the wagon and/or your bag on the back, asking you what to do. To accompany you in this unpleasant step that is part of the traveller’s life, here are the obligations of the airlines in these circumstances and what you can do at the airport in case of flight cancellation.

Airline obligations in the event of flight cancellation

Airlines may cancel a flight up to 14 days before this one. Apart from the refund of the ticket, they then have no other obligation to passengers. However, if you are at the airport and learn that you will not be able to take off, the company that was supposed to take the trip must take care of you . Depending on the situation and circumstances, you can claim compensation once your journey is made.

Support

In the case of a flight cancellation, the responsible airline must offer either a flight under the same conditions and in the best possible time, or a refund of your flight. If you had scheduled matches, the airline will also take charge of them. For this, they must be included in your journey. If you have booked a first flight to a first destination, then a second independent flight (thus under another booking number) to a second destination, the company will not be able to take the second ticket into account.

If you have a flight cancellation and you agree to leave later, the airline must you support during the period between the two flights. She will therefore pay you what to eat, drink, and also a hotel room if ever the next flight left only the next day. It is the same if you have to take a taxi to reach the hotel, for example. And all this, even if the cause of the cancellation is independent of its will. The same applies to correspondence. Even if the situation is far from ideal, the company must accompany you in your steps.

Compensation

In addition, you have the right, if the conditions are met, of claim compensation . The airline can only refuse it if the cancellation results from an outside event independent of its will (e.g. weather hazards). This will be calculated according to the distance that was to be travelled. Thus, it concerns internal flights to the European Union. This is also the case for European airlines, as long as you leave or arrive in a EU country. However, if the flight cancellation concerns a trip outside the European Union, you will need to get in touch with your airline.

Nevertheless, there is a special case of strikes and the cancellation of theft regarding compensation. If it is a strike that caused the cancellation of your flight, compensation may be awarded to you according to certain criteria:

• You were not notified 15 days in advance.
• The strike is internal to the airline: if they are, for example, air controllers, they are not attached to a company. This will therefore not pay you a compensatory allowance, even if the flight cancellation was made only 3 days before your departure.

Request your compensation

Steps to follow at the airport

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Eviart

If you feel a little lost in the face of this impromptu situation, here are the steps you can follow at the airport.

Step 1: breathe

This situation is painful to live. You can quite be angry (especially when you are told that you can’t board because of an overbooking). However, by being in a cooperative state of mind, it is certain that you will get more results than being on defensive. Another important point: the people you will have in front of you (or on the phone) represent the company. But they are not responsible for booking management: it would be counterproductive to take on them. So breathe.

Step 2: Meeting at your airline check-in counter

You will be able to have information on the management of this flight cancellation. Here are the elements to be addressed with your interlocutor:

• Can you get a seat on another flight? If so, when should the departure take place? Is that the same airport?
• If you can take off on a flight the next day, how is this time frame going? Are there any hotels you need to prioritize? Do you have to pay the costs and then pay you back?
• What are the contact details to make your claim later? Is it by postal mail or is a service available online?

Agents are used to this type of event. In general, they have a document containing all the information necessary to resolve this situation.

Step 3: Notify people impacted by your flight cancellation

Depending on your requirements and the duration of the flight, this step can be exchanged with the previous one. However, you will have more constructive information to be given after you pass to your airline counter. Once you know if you leave, and if so, when, you can adjust the planned stay.

So if you go to visit family or friends, call them or send them a message. If you had a professional scheduled meeting, see if it can be postponed. Also, you can change your dates of stay at the hotel. This will not necessarily be possible, but again, you can notify them of your delay so that your room is kept to you.

Step 4: Keep your spending tickets

If you could get a place on a flight that leaves a few hours later, don’t forget to keep all your receipts . You will be able to reimburse you for the costs caused by the flight cancellation.

Step 5: Request a flight delay or flight cancellation certificate

As mentioned earlier, depending on the circumstances of the cancellation of your flight, you can claim compensation. Could you get a seat on another flight? You still have one last step at the airport. In order to have the necessary elements for your further steps, think about request a flight delay certificate . This approach is done when you are (finally) arriving at destination. Do not hesitate to claim it, even without knowing exactly the conditions of compensation of the company.

Once you arrive at a good port, enjoy your stay. Once returned, consider making your claim for compensation if your flight cancellation meets the criteria set out. You have a 5-year time limit in case you traveled to the European Union. However, you can only be recommended to do these steps within weeks of your misadventure.

Now, in case of flight cancellation, you know what to do. However, we hope that it will not be necessary!