Flight cancelled? What to do in the next 30 minutes
Your flight was cancelled. Here is what to do right now: rebook first, ask for food and a hotel, keep receipts, and leave compensation for later.
Short answer: Get in the rebooking queue and call the airline at the same time. In the EU you choose between a refund and the next available flight to your destination, even on another airline. The airline must also give you food and, if needed, a hotel. Keep every receipt. Claim compensation later.
Your flight is cancelled. The board is red, the queue is long, and your phone is at 20 %. Breathe. The first 30 minutes decide where you sleep tonight. Here is the order that works.
Do this now
- Join the transfer or rebooking desk queue. Do not wait at the gate.
- While you queue, call or chat with the airline. Use the app, the website chat, or the phone line. Whoever answers first rebooks you. See how to reach the airline fast.
- Take three screenshots: the departure board, the cancellation SMS or email, and the app status.
- Search the alternatives yourself. Note other flights that day on other airlines and from nearby airports. You will ask for one of them by number.
- Ask for food vouchers and a hotel if you face a long wait or a night.
- Keep every receipt. Food, taxi, hotel, phone. Paper or photo.
Do not accept a voucher or a later flight before you know your options. One click can end your refund right.
What to say at the desk
"My flight is cancelled. Under EU Regulation 261/2004 I am asking to be re-routed to my final destination at the earliest opportunity, including on another airline if that is sooner. I also need meal vouchers and a hotel with transport for tonight."
Say it calmly. Have the alternative flight numbers ready. A specific request gets a faster yes than "what can you do for me?" More ready-made lines: what to say at the airline desk.
Your three options (EU, UK and flights from Europe)
| Option | What it means | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Re-routing now | Next available flight to your final destination, comparable conditions. Can be another airline or a nearby airport. | You must arrive soon. |
| Re-routing later | A later date that suits you, if seats exist. | Your trip can wait. |
| Refund | Money back for the unused ticket within 7 days. Plus a flight back to where you started, if the trip no longer makes sense. | You no longer need the trip. |
You choose, not the airline. If you are unsure, read refund or rebooking: which to pick.
What the airline must give you while you wait
Under EU261 the airline owes you care during the wait:
- Meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Two phone calls, emails or messages.
- A hotel if you must stay overnight.
- Transport between the airport and the hotel.
This care is owed even if the cause was bad weather or air traffic control. "Extraordinary circumstances" can cancel compensation. They do not cancel food and a bed.
No desk, no vouchers, no answer? Book a reasonable hotel and meal yourself. Keep the receipts and claim them back later. More detail: stranded at the airport overnight.
The airline offered a flight two days later. Do I have to take it?
No. You have the right to re-routing "at the earliest opportunity". If another airline flies tonight, ask for it by flight number. Write down the name of the agent and the time if they refuse. Read rebooked days later? you can say no.
Can I book another flight myself?
Sometimes, yes. If the airline does not offer you a reasonable re-routing, you can book a comparable flight and claim the cost back. This is a risk. Get the refusal in writing or as a screenshot first, and choose a reasonable fare. Full guide: book another airline and claim it back.
I booked through an online agency or a package holiday
The rights stay the same. Who helps you changes. On a package, your tour operator must fix the trip. On an online agency booking, the airline still owes you care at the airport. Ask both.
Compensation is homework for next week
If the cancellation came less than 14 days before departure, you may also be owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger. The amount depends on flight distance. The airline can refuse when the cause was truly extraordinary, for example a storm. Technical faults and strikes by the airline's own staff are usually not extraordinary.
Tonight, focus on getting home or getting a bed. You can claim compensation yourself, for free, later.
FAQ
My flight was cancelled. Do I get a refund or a new flight? You choose. In the EU you can take a refund within 7 days, the next available flight to your destination, or a later date that suits you.
Does the airline have to pay for a hotel if my flight is cancelled? Yes, under EU261, if you must stay overnight. The airline also pays transport to the hotel and meals. This applies even when the cause is bad weather.
Can the airline rebook me on another airline? Yes. Re-routing "at the earliest opportunity" can include other airlines and nearby airports. Ask for a specific flight by number.
What if the airline does not answer and there is no desk? Book a reasonable hotel and meals yourself, keep every receipt, and claim the costs back from the airline. Screenshot your attempts to contact them.
How much compensation do I get for a cancelled flight? €250 to €600 per passenger under EU261, by distance. It depends on notice time and cause. Claim it after the trip.
Do I lose my rights if I accept a voucher? Possibly. A voucher can replace your cash refund. Read the terms before you accept anything.
Stuck right now and no one is helping? Get a human on your case now. Ryanair passengers: see the quick sheet for a Ryanair cancellation. At Vienna: flight cancelled at Vienna Airport.
Advice only, not legal advice. Rights summarised from Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the European Commission's air passenger rights pages. Updated 10 October 2026.
