What to do if a flight is canceled: step by step instructions

Many travelers in the course of their travels in Russia and other countries face various kinds of difficulties. It is not uncommon for passengers who are already mentally walking along an exotic beach or taking pictures against the backdrop of sights to be disappointed by a flight cancellation.

A flight can be canceled for a variety of reasons. And today we have to figure out what to do if the flight was canceled, what compensation the passenger can count on and where to submit their claims.

Reasons for cancellation

An air carrier can cancel its flight for various reasons. Sometimes such a decision is made for the safety of the passengers themselves, the aircraft and the crew. The main reasons for canceling a flight are as follows:

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why you never left the airport. And you need to know what behavior to choose in each of the cases, so as not to lose the money paid for the ticket and still be at the destination. Let's analyze each situation in more detail.

Cancellation of a flight several days in advance

Of course, when your flight is canceled a few days before the date of departure, you have more opportunities to respond adequately and even find a replacement for the airline that let you down in a timely manner. As a rule, when making such a decision a few days before departure, the carrier offers passengers alternative solutions to the problem. First of all, you should be offered to use the services of both the same company and another one by flying on board another aircraft. At the same time, the final destination cannot be changed, but the time and date of departure will most likely be offered differently.

The second solution to the problem, which you will be offered, is to pay the full cost of the ticket, which you could not use. But those tourists whose itinerary includes a transfer should be careful: if you have one ticket in your hands, the price of which includes a flight along the entire length of the route (with a transfer), then you will be reimbursed for the full cost of the ticket. And if you purchased a separate document for each period, then you can only count on a refund of the price of one ticket.

You can also receive a full refund of the ticket price if it was purchased both ways at once.

Cancellation after arrival at the airport

Sometimes a flight is canceled just before landing. In this case, the carrier is obliged to explain the reason for such a decision. And for clarifications and claims, you can contact a representative of the company.

For example, the company may offer tourists to fly on another plane or use the services of an alternative carrier. If the company itself is to blame for the cancellation, then all material costs are assigned to it.

Where to apply with a claim?

First of all, you need to understand that all complaints and claims against air carriers will be considered in accordance with the current legislation of the country from whose airport you could not fly. You can file a complaint either directly with the representative of the carrier company or by filling out a special form on the official website. By the way, those passengers who personally contacted a company representative are more likely to receive an intelligible answer and the required compensation. But emails can often simply be ignored, and you risk losing the money spent forever.

If there is no representative of the company at the airport, you can report your claim by sending an application and all necessary documents (for example, a copy of the ticket) by registered mail, indicating the legal address of the carrier company on the envelope. Be sure to keep a copy of the complaint, as it may be useful if you have to defend your rights in court.

Remember that passengers have a six-month period to file claims against the Russian carrier, which begins to be calculated from the day the flight was canceled. But in European countries, this period is even longer. For example, in the EU, passengers can expect compensation within two years, but passengers who are dissatisfied with the work of British carriers have the right to file a claim within six years. If your complaint remains unsatisfied, you have the right to defend your rights in court. The right to file a claim for a dissatisfied customer is retained for three years.

To the claim, and later (if necessary) to the statement of claim, you must attach copies of the ticket with a note about the cancellation of the flight, checks and receipts that confirm the passenger's expenses, as well as all other documents that confirm the losses incurred by you in connection with the canceled flight (cost of excursions, broken contract, etc.).

We hope that our information has given you a complete answer to the question of what to do if your flight is cancelled. Protect your rights the right way!

We also recommend that you read the article How to return a plane ticket.