Flight tips
What are you owed when your flight is cancelled or delayed?
Most passengers claim nothing when a flight is delayed, simply because they don't know their rights. Under certain conditions the airline owes you a fixed sum — regardless of what you paid for the ticket.
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When a flight is cancelled or badly delayed, the airline owes you two separate things. First, a duty of care: food, communication and, if needed, a hotel and transfers. Second, compensation: a fixed sum, independent of the ticket price, payable under certain conditions. These are not alternatives — if the conditions are met, you can claim both.
Compensation: how much, and when?
What decides the amount is not the ticket price but the flight distance and how late you reach your destination. Under the EU regulation the sums are:
| Flight distance | Delay at arrival | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 3 hours or more | €250 |
| 1,500-3,500 km | 3 hours or more | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km (outside the EU) | 3-4 hours | €300 |
| Over 3,500 km (outside the EU) | 4 hours or more | €600 |
Note what is being measured: the delay counts at arrival, not departure. If your flight leaves two hours late but makes up time in the air and lands less than three hours behind schedule, no compensation is due.
When is no compensation paid?
If the airline proves the delay was caused by an "extraordinary circumstance" outside its control, no compensation is owed. That exception is narrower than most people assume.
| Cause of delay | Compensation | Care (meals/hotel) |
|---|---|---|
| Technical fault, poor maintenance | Yes | Yes |
| Strike by the airline's own staff | Usually yes | Yes |
| Crew scheduling, late inbound aircraft | Yes | Yes |
| Severe weather | No | Yes |
| Air traffic control strike | No | Yes |
| Airport closure, security incident | No | Yes |
If the flight is cancelled you have three options
- Free rerouting on the earliest available flight: the airline must put you on its own service, or another carrier's if necessary.
- Rebooking for a date of your choice, if you'd rather postpone the trip.
- A full refund: if you abandon the journey, the fare is refunded within seven days, along with connecting flights that no longer serve any purpose.
If the cancellation was announced less than 14 days before departure, compensation may be due on top of those options. You are never obliged to accept a voucher or flight credit — you can insist on a cash refund.
What to do at the airport
- Ask the airline staff for the reason for the delay and request it in writing. It is the single most decisive piece of evidence later.
- Photograph the departure boards and announcements; timestamped proof makes your case easier.
- Keep your boarding pass and booking confirmation — don't throw them away.
- Collect receipts for the meals, transport and accommodation you pay for.
- When you accept a replacement flight, note its arrival time.
How to file a claim
Start with the airline directly: state your booking reference, flight number, date and exactly what you are claiming. If you get no answer or are refused, escalate to the national enforcement body of the departure country for EU flights, or to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for flights leaving Türkiye. Claim agencies will handle the process for you but take 25-35% of the compensation; going direct is free and usually enough.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
How late does my flight have to be to get compensation?
On flights covered by the EU rules, you have a claim if you reach your destination three hours or more behind schedule. What counts is the delay at arrival, not at departure.
Do I have a claim if bad weather causes the delay?
Not for compensation, because weather counts as an extraordinary circumstance. The airline must still provide meals, communication and, if necessary, a hotel and transfers.
The airline is offering a voucher — do I have to accept it?
No. In a cancellation you can ask for a cash refund or rerouting; accepting a voucher is entirely optional.
Should I use a claim agency?
You don't need to. Claiming directly from the airline is free and usually works. Agencies take between a quarter and a third of the compensation, so they only make sense if you can't follow the process yourself.
