Boarding Call 🚀
✈️ When your flight gets cancelled, you’re not powerless:
• In the US — you’re guaranteed a refund or rerouting, and often a goodwill voucher if you ask.
• In the EU — stronger rights including compensation, rerouting or refund, plus assistance.
• Either way — act fast, document everything, open the app, get to the gate if you can, ask for the next available flight.
Prepare ahead, understand your rights, and you turn a cancellation from a disaster into a manageable delay.
What happens when your flight is cancelled
First — stay calm and open your airline app: airlines often push updated information there first.
Check your original ticket: departure time, airline, booking code.
You have essentially three broad options: alternative flight, rerouting, or refund + compensation (depending on region & rule).
Note: If the cancellation is caused by “extraordinary circumstances” (storm, air-traffic control, bad weather) the airline’s obligations can be reduced.
US rules – what you can and can’t expect
In the US, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) states that for domestic flights, airlines are not required by federal law to pay you compensation simply because the flight was cancelled or delayed.
However, if the flight is cancelled or “significantly changed”, you are entitled to a refund of the unused portion of your ticket (or everything if the trip is no longer useful) if you decline the alternative.
The DOT defines “significant change” as more than 3 hours departure or arrival difference domestically (or 6 hours internationally), a change of airport, etc.
Important: There is no automatic cash compensation like in Europe. The airline must refund or re-route, but paying you extra money is not required in many cases.
If the airline promises amenities (meals, hotel) in its contract of carriage, they must honour them — check “Conditions of Carriage”
EU / Europe rules – stronger protections
In the EU (and flights departing from EU or operated by EU-based airlines) the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 sets minimum rights for passengers when flights are cancelled, delayed or overbooked.
If your flight is cancelled you are entitled to: reimbursement of your ticket, or rerouting to final destination under comparable conditions, plus compensation (in many cases) unless the cancellation was caused by “extraordinary circumstances”.
The compensation amounts vary by flight distance: typically €250-€600 (≈ $270-$650) depending on route.
Airlines must also provide assistance (meals, accommodation if needed) once certain delay thresholds are reached.
What to do when the cancellation is due to weather or “force majeure”
Weather, natural disasters, air-traffic control strikes often qualify as “extraordinary circumstances”. In the EU this can remove the airline’s obligation to pay compensation (but not to provide rerouting or refund).
In the US, weather is obviously an acceptable reason for cancellation — the airline still has to refund if you don’t accept an alternative, but no extra compensation is guaranteed.
Key hack: Even if weather caused it, you still push for: rerouting (sooner flight) or refund + ask for credit/goodwill from airline. Document everything (screenshots, app notifications, receipts).
Smart traveller hacks when your flight is cancelled
Immediately open the airline app and look for alternative flights yourself. Often you catch the next one before the agent offers.
If you’re at the airport, go to the gate/desk / talk to agent: being physically present often helps.
If you are travelling with checked bags, ask how they’ll be handled when rerouting; sometimes you must recheck.
Keep receipts for any extra costs (hotel, meals, taxi) — you can include in claims.
For U.S. flights: even if there’s no mandatory compensation, many airlines will offer credit or voucher if you ask — especially if you are polite and persistent.
For EU flights: verify if cancellation happened less than 14 days before departure (affects your eligibility for compensation).
Use third-party services (like AirHelp) to check eligibility and help with claims. They charge fees but simplify the process.
Consider travel insurance coverage: many policies cover non-airline faults (weather, strikes) for expenses.
Build in buffer time for connections. If cancellation causes hours of delay and your final arrival is 3+ hours later (EU) you likely qualify for full compensation.
Quick Q&A: My flight cancelled 2-4 hours ahead — what now?
Q: If the flight is cancelled 2-4 hours before departure in the US, am I automatically entitled to cash compensation?
A: No. In the US you are entitled to a refund of the unused ticket portion (or re-routing) if you decline the alternative. But extra cash compensation is not guaranteed.
Q: What about in the EU for cancellation 2-4 hours ahead?
A: Yes — you may be eligible for compensation under EU 261 if: the cancellation is within less than 14 days, the airline did not propose a comparable alternative arrival time (usually within 2-4 hours of original), and if the cancellation is not due to extraordinary circumstances.
Q: What counts as an “earlier” alternative to avoid full compensation?
A: For EU flights, if the airline offers rerouting and you arrive no later than: • 2 hours after original arrival for flights up to 1,500 km • 3 hours for 1,500-3,500 km • 4 hours for over 3,500 km — then compensation may be reduced (50%).
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