Flight delayed or cancelled: what to do, step by step

The first fifteen minutes: find out what has actually happened

Before you join a long queue, pause and collect the facts. Open the airline's own app or your booking email and see whether your flight has been retimed, cancelled or moved to another gate. Airport screens sometimes update later than the app, and a travelling companion may see a different message if you booked separately.

Write the essentials in your phone notes: booking reference, airline, original flight number, any new time you were given, and the time you received each message. You may need this timeline later when you make a claim.

Delay, cancellation or schedule change: they are not the same

Airlines use these words differently, and what you can ask for changes with each. The table below is a general overview only. The real details depend on your ticket, the airline and the laws of the countries involved.

Talking to the airline: a sensible order

1. 1Start with the app or chatWhen many passengers are affected, the app and chat are often quicker than the counter queue. Try rebooking in the app first and go to the counter if that fails.
2. 2Queue at the counter in parallelWhile a chat is pending, have one person hold a place in the queue. Do not close either channel until you have a clear answer.
3. 3Say what you need, briefly and clearlyFor example: you need to reach the destination today, or you can leave tomorrow, or you want a refund because the trip no longer makes sense. A clear goal helps the agent pick a suitable option faster.
4. 4Ask for it in writingAsk for confirmation by email or on the new ticket. If an agent agrees to meals or a room, ask how to submit receipts and what is covered.
5. 5Note names and timesWrite down the agent's name, the time and what was agreed. This is very useful if there is a later dispute.

If you booked through an agent or a booking app

When you buy through an intermediary, such as a travel agent or a booking platform, the airline may say to contact the seller because it holds the payment record, while the seller may say to speak to the airline. Ask directly who has authority to change or refund this specific ticket, and get the answer in writing.

Keep the booking confirmation and the payment receipt. If you paid by credit card, check the issuer's terms too, because some cards include benefits for delays. See our guide on card and travel insurance cover for flight delays for the general shape of these benefits.

A long wait: meals, a room and getting around

What an airline must provide during a wait, such as meals, a hotel room or transport, varies a lot with the route, the airline, the country and the cause of the disruption. In some cases care is offered and in others it is not. Do not assume either way, and do not rely on figures from unofficial articles.

• Ask the agent before paying yourself whether the airline will cover it, and under what limits or conditions.
• If you must pay, choose reasonable options and keep itemised, dated receipts.
• Photograph any notice boards or handouts the airline gives passengers.
• If you must leave the airside area or pass immigration, ask first whether you need a visa or any other document.

Knock-on effects: hotels, transfers and activities

A changed flight often disturbs other bookings. As soon as you have the new time, tell everyone affected: your first hotel, the airport transfer, tour operators, the car rental desk and any friend or relative meeting you.

• Hotel: say you will arrive late so the room is not cancelled as a no-show, and ask about late check-in.
• Pre-booked transfer or taxi: send the driver the new flight number and time.
• Timed tours or tickets: ask whether they can be moved before the start time, as providers have their own terms.
• People waiting at your destination: share the latest time and update again when the plane actually leaves.

Do not delete your old boarding pass. It is evidence that you intended to travel on the original flight.

Travel insurance and card cover

Some policies and cards cover long delays or cancellations, but the terms vary widely: you may need to have paid with that card, notify within a deadline, or accept certain exclusions. Read the policy document or ask the issuer. Do not guess.

• Contact the insurer by phone or app as early as possible, because many have a notification step.
• Ask which documents are needed, such as a delay certificate from the airline.
• Keep every receipt even if you are unsure the claim will be accepted.

If you have no insurance yet, our guide on whether you need travel insurance explains the basics.

Staying reachable while everything is changing

While a flight is disrupted, what you need is usually on your phone: the airline app, email, the new ticket and hotel messages. If you are at an airport in a country other than home, a roaming pack or an eSIM lets you check status and answer chats without relying on airport Wi-Fi, which often needs a sign-in or has limits and can be crowded when many passengers are stranded.

Keep your main SIM active to receive SMS and OTP codes from your bank or airline, and choose a data plan suited to the countries you travel to. Our guides on OTP while abroad and on a backup connectivity plan cover this in more detail.

Afterwards: claiming and following up

Once you arrive, do not drop the matter. Collect everything in one folder: the old and new tickets, notices, receipts and your timeline. Then check possible entitlements from official sources: the airline's conditions, the aviation regulator of the countries involved, your travel insurer and your card issuer.

1. Send the claim to the airline through its official channel with your documents attached.
2. If you hear nothing within the time the airline states, follow up and keep proof of contact.
3. If it still fails, ask the relevant regulator or consumer body how complaints are made.
4. File the insurance or card claim within the deadline stated in the documents.

Preparing before your next flight

• Keep ticket emails and boarding passes available offline in case signal is poor.
• Install the airline's app and enable notifications before the travel day.
• Leave enough connection time, especially on separate tickets.
• If day one has something important, such as a meeting or ceremony, consider arriving a day early.

Related reading on online check-in, offline tickets and flight connections is linked below.

See how to get connected on arrival