What to Do When Your Flight Is Delayed

The first thirty minutes

• Check the airline app and the departure board. Treat the app as more current.
• If you have a connection, contact the airline now, not after boarding. Protecting a connection is easiest before the first flight departs.
• Ask staff for the cause in plain terms. It determines what you are owed.
• Screenshot every notification. Airline apps overwrite older status messages.

Why the cause matters

Airlines distinguish between things within their control, such as crew scheduling or technical faults, and things outside it, such as weather, air traffic restrictions or security incidents. Duty of care usually applies either way. Cash compensation generally applies only to the first category.

Meals, drinks and hotels

For delays beyond roughly two to four hours, most carriers provide refreshments. If the delay runs overnight, they should provide accommodation and transport to it. Airlines rarely volunteer this. Ask directly.

• Request vouchers at the desk or gate before you buy anything.
• If nothing is offered, buy something reasonable and keep the receipt.
• Reasonable means a meal, not a celebration dinner. Claims are assessed on proportionality.

Rebooking and rerouting

• Ask specifically about alternative routings, including partner airlines.
• Check nearby airports if the schedule allows; carriers can sometimes reroute you.
• If the new time makes the trip pointless, ask about a refund instead of a rebooking.
• Get every change in writing or as a reissued boarding pass before leaving the desk.

Evidence to keep

• Original and revised boarding passes.
• Screenshots of the airline's own delay notices with timestamps.
• Receipts for food, transport and accommodation.
• Names of the staff who assisted you and the time of each conversation.

Claims usually fail on missing evidence rather than on the merits. Ten minutes of record keeping at the airport saves weeks of correspondence.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a delay have to be before I get compensation?

Thresholds vary by region and route, but three hours at arrival is a common trigger where the cause was within the airline's control.

Can I leave the airport during a long delay?

Only after confirming the revised departure time with the airline, and never without checking whether your bags have already been loaded.

Should I buy my own replacement ticket?

Only as a last resort. Doing so can end the airline's obligation to reroute you. Ask them to reroute first.

Who do I complain to if the airline refuses?

Start with the airline's formal complaints process in writing, then escalate to the national aviation authority or consumer body for the departure country.