Last-minute cancellations are very frustrating, but inevitable.
A flight that is cancelled last-minute will ruin your travel plans, especially if you have booked everything in advance. If you have more than one flight, last-minute flight cancellation are even more stressful. However, it’s important to know that in a lot of these situations you are protected under the EU and the UK law. In many situations you can get compensation from easyJet.
When things go wrong, easyJet has to take care of you.
1. EasyJet Flight Cancellation: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation
Your easyJet flight is cancelled — you have a right to care.
- If cancellation results in a long wait at the airport, you have a right to receive care from easyJet. If you have to wait for 3+ hours, you will get a coupon for free meal, if overnight — free hotel stay and free airport transfer.
- If you don’t wish to take a new flight, you can ask for a full refund. It can be money transfer to your bank account or a refundable easyJet voucher. You must be given a choice between a new flight and flight cancellation refund.
- If it is a last-minute flight cancellation, it has happened 2 weeks or less before the original departure date, and it’s due to the fault of the airline, you can claim flight cancellation compensation.
Applies to all easyJet flights to and from Europe / UK.
By Europe and EU here on this page we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
2. What to Do if Your Flight Is Cancelled Last-Minute?
Where are you right now?
At the airport or still at home/hotel?
2.1 If You Are Still at Home or Hotel
Do not leave for the airport just yet.
Contact easyJet customer service. Ask them what to do next. As we have already mentioned, the airline has to take care of you. But first you have to find out what is the reason for delay, and will your new flight will be today or tomorrow. If your flight is cancelled last minute, you’re entitled to a new flight or refund. Even if your flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances.
Make sure you find out at what time there will be a new flight, in order to get to the airport in time for your new flight.
2.2 If You Are Already at the Airport
What if you are already at the airport?
Don’t go through the airport security and stay in the landside area of the airport. That’s the part of the airport before security check point. This is because you will need to check-in for your new flight. Your initial flight has been cancelled, and there will be a new flight for which you will have to check-in and get a new boarding pass, and check-in your luggage (if you have any). Only after that you can proceed through security and passport control.
If you have already gone through security, try to go back to the landside of the airport. Next, try to get in touch with representatives of easyJet or ask for information at check-in/information desks. You have to find when the replacement flight will depart and get a seat on that flight.
EasyJet has to offer you a new flight for free.
3. EasyJet Flight Cancellation Compensation
The EU and UK flight compensation laws are very specific.
If a flight is cancelled less than 2 weeks before the flight, it is considered a last-minute flight cancellation. If it’s due to fault of the airline, passengers have a right to compensation.
Your flight is cancelled 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- You choose a new flight offered by easyJet, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
- In other situations you are entitled to compensation.
Your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- You choose a new flight offered by easyJet, which departs not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
- In other situations you are entitled to compensation.
Conditions for claiming compensation:
- EasyJet has to be responsible for the cause of the cancellation;
- Flight has to be to/from Europe/the UK;
- Last-minute flight cancellation — less than 2 weeks before departure.
Read more: EasyJet Flight Cancellation Refund & Compensation
4. How to Claim EasyJet Flight Compensation / Refund?
To get a refund, log into Manage Bookings.
You can request a refund there. To get a compensation, submit a claim for compensation for cancelled flight. When submitting a compensation claim refer to the EU regulation 261/2004 / UK Regulation 261. If you don’t make a claim, you won’t get compensation. That’s the most important thing — if you do nothing, you will get nothing.
Keep in mind that your compensation has to be transferred to your bank account. You don’t have to agree to any airline vouchers. According to the regulation the EC 261 / UK 261, you can get €250, €400 or €600 (or £220, £350, £520), depending on the distance of your flight. Take into account that claiming compensation from the airline directly may be very time consuming.
To avoid this, you can take the easiest path.
You can hand over the case to professionals.
When you choose this option, everything is done by a flight compensation company. They file a compensation claim and do all the negotiations on your behalf. All you do is fill in a single form.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Do you still have questions about easyJet compensation policies? Ask in the comments.
Featured photo by Wayne Jackson from Pexels
