Flight Cancelled 6 Steps Compensation Travel Tips

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“We regret to inform you, your flight has been cancelled due to weather condition”.

The dreaded announcement

This was the dreadful announcement we had to listen to multiple times today while going through security at Auckland Airport, with our 2-year-old toddler in tow.

The infamous budget airline offered us either a ‘refund’ in the form of a voucher or scheduled us on the earliest available flight the next morning. However, there was no compensation of any sort, no credits for accommodation, transportation, food or anything else.

As understanding as we could be towards the unforeseeable weather conditions, we could not accept the airline’s options and the way they had shoved us away. So I persisted (nicely…) in getting a more reasonable compensation.

After 4 hours of calling, waiting, and reasoning at the airport, we’re now back at home catching a sweet 5 hours of sleep before we head to the airport again to catch our next flight. And you guessed it, I wasn’t very graceful about the whole situation, but we did manage to sort it out with a minimal financial loss after all.

In this post, we’ll share with you our experiences, tips on dealing with each party involved, and how you may be able to reduce your financial loss to a minimum. After all, your true adventure still awaits, and a flight cancellation should not ruin it all.

Getting your compensation – what to expect

Firstly, I’m glad to say, that after a decade of travelling in and out of Australia and New Zealand, we’ve only experienced flights being cancelled twice.

My first-ever flight cancellation actually turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It was a flight from Sydney to Fiji with Fiji Airways. The airline rang me personally to apologize a couple of days before my flight. They offered to book me on the next available flight, which turned out to be a day earlier than the original date. I was offered 3 hotel choices which ranged between 3.5-star – 4-star standards. I went with Mercure hotel in Nadi, Fiji. On top of that, they included complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sounds pretty good? Yup, this experience was a real treat for me. I was notified promptly of the cancellation, so I was able to plan ahead with minimal interruptions. It didn’t affect me much apart from a last-minute packing frenzy, and an awesome lonely night at my complimentary hotel while waiting for my travel buddy to arrive the next day.

Now, that is probably the best-case scenario to wrap up a flight cancellation, and I have quickly learned, that this is actually quite the norm among reputable airlines. If this happens to you, happily accept their offer. Although your itineraries may have to be rearranged in an unforeseen circumstance, this is really the best you can get out of a major airline.

With that in mind, you can certainly expect some form of compensation from the airline for your travel disruptions, at least out of goodwill. However, with our world fast-changing and the unprecedented pandemic uncertainty, we have to stay flexible and adapt to each situation with what we define as morally acceptable.

Our Experience

2 hours before the flight, we completed self-check-in online and were on the way to the airport. Everything went through smoothly and we got our digital boarding passes without a fuss. Because of that, we skipped queuing at the airport and went straight to the security screening. It was only after we passed through the security checks, 15 minutes before our flight, that we saw a red status change on the information board. “Flight cancelled”. I forgot how many times we prayed, that out of all the flights on the board it wasn’t our flight number, but it was.

Flight Cancelled – The Process

So what do you do when you come across an airline that basically tells you, “Sorry, the weather is out of our control, we have to cancel the flight for your safety, so no compensation will be offered for this reason”?

If you’re at the airport, the announcement will instruct you to go to the airline customer service counter and arrange the next available flight. If the flight is on the same day, then you’re in luck, a couple of hours of waiting around in the airport is all you have to put up with. But what if the next available flight is the next day? Who’s covering the overnight expenses such as accommodation, transport, food & drinks?

Step 1 – Getting through the Line

Take a deep breath, it will work out!

💡Insider Tip!

Before you head to the customer service counter, get on the phone and call the airline instead. Because chances are, there’s a hundred other passengers trying to get their flights sorted at the counter as well. You are likely to end up waiting for hours just to get through the line.

Get your booking number, flight details and any references ready. Find a quiet place with good mobile reception, this will also calm you down.

If you’re travelling with kids, get your partner to take them around the airport. You do not want to discuss compensation over screaming kids, airport noises and announcements.

Step 2: Escalate to a Decision-Maker

Expect the airline to justify themselves and explain why they are unable to offer compensation. However, you should at least expect an option for a full refund back to your card, or an acceptable compensation to cover the minimum expenses caused by the schedule change.

💡Insider Tip!

If your message is not getting through to the representative on the phone (e.g. they don’t speak English well or are in training), request to speak with a manager. Don’t waste your time and talk to someone who has the authority to make decisions and exceptions.

Oftentimes, the receptionist will tell you they are well-trained, and whatever they say is the manager’s decision. In this case, insist on escalating the matter and don’t forget to write down the manager’s name.

Step 3: Cancel Affected Accommodation Bookings

Hopefully, you are able to resolve this to the best scenario possible by now. Once your new flight is confirmed, don’t forget to cancel your first night’s accommodation if needed.

💡Insider Tip!

If you have booked through a hotel search engine such as Trip or Trivago, go to the actual booking site (e.g. Hotels.com or Booking.com). Call the booking site and explain your situation. They will make an exception and cancel the booking for you at no additional charge most of the time. If a full refund isn’t possible, ask for a hotel credit. Again, escalate the matter if you have to.

Step 4: Last-Minute Accommodation

Hop on your favourite hotel booking app or type in ‘hotels’ on Google Maps to find your nearest available accommodation. Call them one by one if within business hours for a quick availability check.

💡Insider Tip!

Chances are, you’ll have to cover the cost of the accommodation first, regardless of whether you’re getting compensation or not. So it’s a good idea to always keep your receipts, they come in handy when you try to claim your credits or refunds later.

Step 5: Double Assurance

The line at the airline customer service counter should be cleared by now. Go up to the counter and double confirm your changed itinerary, just to make sure they have you on their next flight. The technology and software airlines use these days should have updated your changes in real time. If not, request an update via SMS or email.

💡Insider Tip!

Talk to them about compensation once again, and see what they have to offer. Quite often, different departments come up with completely different resolutions.

Step 6: Book Transfers

Book your transfer either with airport shuttles, taxi, Uber, Ola or your best alternative to your newly booked hotel. Hopefully, all will be smooth sailing from now on. Have a good night’s rest, forget about it all and enjoy your trip. It’s not an adventure without a rollercoaster experience!

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Have you experienced any flight cancellations? Share your experiences and tips with us below!