Discovering that your flight has been cancelled while standing at the airport departure gate is stressful and frustrating. However, under European Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, airlines have strict, non-negotiable legal duties toward you the moment a flight is cancelled.
Step 1: Ask for Written Proof. Request a written confirmation of the cancellation and the specific reason from the airline gate or service desk. Photograph the airport departure boards displaying the cancelled status.
Step 2: Claim Your Mandatory Duty of Care. Under EU261 Article 9, the airline must immediately provide free food and drink vouchers, access to two free phone calls or emails, and free hotel accommodation including transport if you must stay overnight.
Step 3: Choose Between Re-routing or Full Refund. The airline must offer you the choice between: (a) re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity on any comparable flight (even on competitor airlines), or (b) a full cash refund of your unused ticket within 7 days.
Step 4: Do Not Sign Rights Waivers or Accept Vouchers. Never sign documents that release the airline from statutory liabilities, and do not accept airline credit or travel points in lieu of your statutory cash compensation.
Step 5: Claim Up to 600€ Cash. If the cancellation was announced less than 14 days before departure and was not caused by extreme extraordinary weather, you are entitled to between 250€ and 600€ per ticket in cash compensation, on top of any re-routing or food provided.