How to act in case of cancellation of your flight

We are about to start the summer season and air travel is multiplying due to the holidays. There are times when things happen that we don’t expect, such as a flight delay. But there is something even worse, and it is the cancellation of the flight by the airline. It is convenient that you know this information to be prevented, although it is not such a frequent event, it is not at all strange that it could happen to you. This is everything you need to know about canceling a flight and how you should act.

What is a flight cancellation?

According to the current regulation, which dates from 2004 and which is still in force, it is the “non-performance of the flight scheduled in your reservation, and in which you had reserved at least one seat”. In other words, for reasons beyond the control of the passenger, he sees how soil is not produced and therefore remains on the ground. The airlines must duly inform the affected passengers of this cancellation, and let them know what their rights are in this case. Among them we find:

Refund the ticket or offer you an alternative means of transport. If you have a connecting flight, the airline must give you a return flight to the place of departure as soon as possible, if this is not the case, it must provide you with the transportation that best suits you. If, on the other hand, you prefer your ticket to be refunded, this must occur within the next seven days.
In addition to the right to information, passengers must be assisted when it comes to a cancellation. They should provide you with food and drink and the ability to communicate by email or phone. In the event that the airline does not comply with this task, keep all the tickets of the expenses incurred to later claim them

When am I entitled to compensation?

In some circumstances, it is possible to request compensation for flight cancellation. In addition to the rights detailed above, on some occasions it is possible claim compensation for canceled flight. The amount to be received depends on the distance between the place of departure and the destination.

For this, a series of requirements must be met, such as the total distance of the flight. In the event that it has a traveled less than 1500 km, you are entitled to compensation of up to €250. If you fly within the European Union and the distance is greater than 1500 km, the compensation will be up to €400.

If the flight is up to 3,500 km and the destination country is outside our European Union, the compensation will be up to €400, and in the event that the distance is greater than 3,500 km and it occurs outside the European Union, The compensation will reach up to €600.

Keep in mind that if the airline has offered you an alternative means of transport, this compensation may be reduced by 50%. It is interesting to know our rights, which are collected on the website of the Ministry of Consumption, and which you can consult here.

Can I always claim compensation?

Keep in mind that It is not always possible to request compensation in the event of a canceled flight. For example, they are excluded from any possibility of compensation when it is due to causes beyond the company’s control, such as adverse weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances, let’s imagine the case of a terrorist attack at the departure or destination airport. In addition, if the airline has notified you two weeks in advance, you will not have the right to claim either.

Equally, If the airline has offered you alternative transport that is not delayed by more than four hours, you will not have the right to claim either. nothing. The transport offered must have a maximum departure time two hours before the scheduled departure. In the event that the airline notifies you seven days in advance and offers you an alternative with a delay of no more than two hours, you will not be entitled to compensation either.