Stranded at the airport?Five moves. Two minutes.
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Rebooked or refunded: whose choice is it?
Under EU261 Article 8 the airline must offer you rerouting at the earliest opportunity, rerouting at a date you choose, or a full refund — you pick. If their desk says the next flight is in two days, ask them to rebook you on any airline, not just their own.
- 2
What care must the airline give you: meals, calls, a hotel?
From two hours of waiting, Article 9 obliges the airline to provide meals and refreshments; overnight, a hotel plus transfers. Quote “Article 9, Regulation 261/2004” at the desk. If they refuse, pay for reasonable costs yourself and keep every receipt — it’s recoverable, even when compensation isn’t.
- 3
What evidence should you photograph in 60 seconds?
The departure board showing the delay or cancellation · your boarding pass · any SMS/email from the airline · the queue or the desk announcement. Ask the desk “what is the reason for the disruption?” and note their answer word-for-word — the stated reason often decides the claim.
- 4
Should you sign anything or accept a voucher yet?
The airline pays compensation in cash unless you agree otherwise in writing. A voucher signed at the desk can settle the claim for your whole booking at a fraction of its value. See what the voucher really costs →
- 5
Can you hand the flight to us and go find your gate?
Add your flight to the flight watch form on this page. We’ll verify how it resolves against the official record, and if it qualifies you’ll get a one-click claim — up to €600 per passenger, no win, no fee.
Already home and the flight is behind you? Check it now — compensation reaches years back
Stranded at the airport: what does the airline owe you tonight?
Two rights start the moment the wait becomes long, whatever caused it. The first is the choice between a replacement flight and your money back — yours to make, not the airline’s. The second is airline duty of care: meals and drinks in proportion to the wait, two calls or emails, and a hotel with transfers if you are kept overnight. That care is owed whatever caused the disruption. A storm or an air-traffic strike does not excuse an empty desk.
| What you are owed | When | Depends on the cause? |
|---|---|---|
| A replacement flight or a full refund, your choice | When the airline cancels | No |
| Meals and refreshments | From two hours of waiting | No |
| Two calls or emails | While you wait | No |
| A hotel plus transfers | When you are kept overnight | No |
| Fixed compensation of €250–€600 | Claimed afterwards | Yes: only if the cause was within the airline's control |
If nobody is handing out vouchers, buy what you reasonably need and keep every receipt. A mid-range hotel near the airport and ordinary meals — not a suite and champagne. Flight cancelled, what to do next depends on the notice you were given and the reason — the cancellation guide sets out when €250–€600 is due on top, and the delay guide does the same for a late arrival.
What else do stranded passengers ask?
The airline is offering only a replacement flight. Can I insist on a refund?
Yes, whenever the airline cancels. The choice between a refund of the unused ticket and rerouting to your destination belongs to you, not to the airline. Say which you want and ask for it in writing before you leave the airport.
Nobody is giving out hotel vouchers. What do I do?
Book something reasonable yourself and keep the receipts. Airline duty of care covers a mid-range hotel near the airport, transfers and ordinary meals; it does not cover a luxury room or a bar bill. Claim the cost back with the receipts attached.
Does care depend on whose fault the disruption was?
No. Meals, drinks and a hotel are owed regardless of the cause, including weather and air-traffic control. Only the fixed compensation of €250–€600 depends on whether the cause was within the airline's control.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route