Travel
Cancelled flight? EU and UK consumer rights and what you’re entitled to
Delayed or cancelled flights can result in compensation and other benefits.
Staff at airports and airlines across Europe are planning to strike over the coming months, causing thousands of flights to be delayed or cancelled by industrial action.
With travel plans likely to be disrupted this year, knowing how to deal with flight and train cancellations, long delays, and lost bags is more important than ever.
Industrial action can mean the ground staff or plane crew won’t be working as usual, causing flight delays and cancellations in Europe and beyond.
Not all flights will be affected, but if there is an airline strike and you were informed of it less than 14 days ago, you might be due compensation.
What are your rights if your flight is cancelled?
When delays and cancellations happen, airlines should keep passengers informed and provide food and accommodation (if the delay necessitates an overnight stay).
According to the UK’s Citizens Advice website, if your flight is covered under UK law, your airline must let you decide between a refund or an alternative flight to your destination.
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight, even if it’s with another airline.
Air passenger rights in the EU mean that if your flight is delayed for two hours or more at departure, the airline must offer you care (meals, refreshments, and, if necessary, accommodation). If this delay means that you arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours, you may also be entitled to financial compensation.
Can I claim compensation if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
You may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. The amount is based on how far you are flying.
According to the EU website, EU air passenger rights apply:
If your flight is within the EU and is operated either by an EU or a non-EU airline
If your flight arrives in the EU from outside the EU and is operated by an EU airline
If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline
If you have not already received benefits (compensation, re-routing, assistance from the airline) for flight related problems for this journey under the relevant law of a non-EU count
How to claim compensation
You should claim compensation directly from the airline rather than use an online flight compensation service. Third parties will take a percentage of your claim amount in exchange for their services, so you’ll get less money.
Search your airline’s website or call their customer services department to get more information on what compensation you’re entitled to.
While you can claim cash compensation in some circumstances, this doesn’t apply when cancellations or delays are attributed to ‘extraordinary circumstances’ – things beyond the airline’s control like extreme weather.
What happens if an airline cannot fly you home that day?
When a flight delay necessitates an overnight stay, the airline must arrange and cover the accommodation cost for passengers, including transportation to and from the accommodation.
If you need to make your own travel and accommodation arrangements in the event of a flight cancellation or long delay, the airline should refund reasonable costs.
You should retain copies of all receipts and book the cheapest alternative ticket and hotel available so that the airline can facilitate your claim.
What happens if your flight is delayed for three or more hours?
You are entitled to assistance such as food vouchers if your flight is delayed by more than two hours.
You’re also entitled to compensation if your flight arrives more than three hours late and the airline is at fault due to events such as technical difficulties or overbooking.
Passengers can also get a full refund if they are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel.
You’re unlikely to get compensation if the delay was because of something outside the airline’s control, for example, bad weather or a security risk.
What assistance do airlines provide?
Here’s what assistance airlines typically provide in the event of a flight delay:
Refreshments and meals: a reasonable amount of food and drink (often in the form of vouchers)
Communication: Airlines are obligated to provide means of communication, such as access to phone calls or emails, to inform passengers about the delay and their rights.
Accommodation: If the delay necessitates an overnight stay, airlines must arrange and pay for accommodation and transportation between the airport and the accommodation.
Alternative Transport or Refund: Passengers can choose between rebooking on an alternative flight or receiving a refund.
If your airline cannot arrange assistance, you can pay for this and claim the costs later. In this case, the Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and only spend what is necessary.
What if I’m not on a UK/EU flight?
If you didn’t travel on a UK or EU-regulated flight, you won’t be covered by the UK/EU flight delay compensation scheme.
However, most airlines have a contractual obligation to offer passengers a choice between a later flight, alternative transport or a refund.
If the Montreal Convention covers your airline, you might be able to claim for any losses caused by a delay.
The Montreal Convention is a treaty governing airlines’ liability in the event of accidents during international flights.
Established in 1999, it sets standardised rules for passenger injury or death, baggage loss or damage, and cargo loss or delay.
The convention mandates that airlines are strictly liable for proven damages up to a specific monetary limit unless they can prove that the incident was not due to their negligence or was caused solely by a third party.
Check the Montreal Convention list to see if you are covered. Your travel insurance policy may also offer limited coverage for delays, so it’s worth scanning the Terms and Conditions.
What if I booked a package holiday or with a travel agent?
All businesses that provide services in the EU must comply with consumer protection rules. The European Consumer Centres Network states: “If you book a holiday, rental car, accommodation or a flight in the EU, Norway or Iceland and encounter any issues, your consumer rights are there to protect you.
If your flight is cancelled, your baggage is lost, your cruise doesn’t go smoothly, or you miss your train connection, EU legislation will ensure you obtain redress.”
In the UK, travel companies that provide packages that include a flight and that are sold to customers must protect your monies through the ATOL scheme.
ABTA also provides financial protection for UK consumers who book holidays through ABTA members. This protection ensures that consumers receive refunds or assistance if their travel company goes out of business.
Package holidays and agency booking can offer travellers extra reassurance and customer service.
“Booking through a professional agent gives you the peace of mind that you are protected in the event of any changes to your travel,” says Sarah Davies, a travel advisor from Life Begins with Travel.
“Even if just to have someone on the end of the phone to guide you through the process.
Davies explains that many online travel companies aren’t members of ABTA though, so it’s important to ensure you choose a company with both ABTA and ATOL protection “so you don’t end up out of pocket and that you’re well looked after.”
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Interrail and Eurail passholders rejoice, as you can now skip the queues and reserve your seats on long- and medium-distance RENFE trains online.
Rail Europe, a European train booking platform, has expanded its offering to include trains operated by Spain’s state-owned railway, eliminating a major hurdle that has dogged rail passholders for years.
“The addition of RENFE’s passholder fares to our platform is a game-changer for travellers eager to explore Spain with ease,” says Jürgen Witte, Chief Product and Technology Officer of Rail Europe. “This enhancement ensures Interrail and Eurail Global Pass holders can navigate its world-class rail system seamlessly.”
With the new service, passholders can easily see if a seat reservation is required for their journey and what the associated costs will be.
From there, they can make their reservation online, eliminating the need for time-consuming in-person bookings where a lack of Spanish language skills is sometimes an issue.
What’s the problem with booking RENFE seats with a rail pass?
While many Interrail and Eurail trains don’t require seat reservations, Spanish high-speed trains – the Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) – do.
Although Interrail purports to allow bookings on some AVE trains via its self-service system, users report extensive issues in getting the platform to work. Some trains available on Interrail/Eurail are not bookable via the self-service system at all.
Previously, the only option to secure a seat reservation without buying a ticket on a RENFE high-speed train was to call the company. The traveller would then have to go to a RENFE station to pick up and pay for the reservation within 72 hours of booking, which is often not convenient.
“In Spain, almost all trains, apart from purely suburban ones, require a reservation, and RENFE’s own website doesn’t offer passholder reservations,” explains train travel expert Mark Smith, who runs the website The Man in Seat 61.
“Furthermore, Spanish trains can leave fully booked, so you ideally need to book ahead. This was a major issue for using an Interrail or Eurail pass in Spain.”
Smith warns that, particularly on peak travel days, such as Fridays and Saturdays in the summer months, queues can be atrocious. At major stations in Madrid and Barcelona, passengers can wait as long as one or two hours to be served.
The complexity has caused confusion and frustration among travellers. On the Eurail forum, one user said, “Not gonna jump through hoops to go to Spain. I’ll cancel the Spain leg and stay in France.”
How to book seat reservations with RENFE
To reserve a seat on a RENFE high-speed AVE train, simply head to the Rail Europe website.
Click ‘add rail pass’ below the journey planner and select the type and class of pass you hold. Then, you can search for a journey as normal, but you should only see the passholder reservation costs rather than the normal ticket costs.
Smith notes that the Rail Europe system defaults to a second-class reservation in the search results. Holders of first-class passes need to manually change the price drop-down if they want to reserve a first-class seat.
There are other options for booking seats on RENFE with a pass. These include using Dutch agency HappyRail, which has proven to be successful at booking seats on AVE trains, but charges a 3.5 per cent fee.
Interrail and Eurail reservation services have been available since 2023, but success is patchy. Smith notes that, when the systems do work, they allow booking in first or second class, but not in the ‘premium’ class that gets passholders Sala Club lounge access and a meal with wine included on AVE and Euromed trains.
Smith has long recommended Rail Europe as a booking service for Interrail and Eurail passholders, as it has more seat choices, more benefits for first-class passholders, and no booking fees.
“This is a big step forward,” says Smith, “and if one system won’t get you the reservation you want, try the other.”
Where can you travel with RENFE?
RENFE operates a comprehensive route network across Spain, with both its AVE (high-speed) and Larga Distancia (long-distance) trains. On the map below, the purple lines are AVE trains, and the grey lines are the slower long-distance routes.
As well as travelling within Spain, RENFE connects to several international destinations. These include Oporto in Portugal and several destinations in France.
From 23 April, RENFE will launch a new direct Seville-Barcelona train service, cutting out the transfer in Madrid and making it easier to get between the two popular cities.
Along the way, it stops in Córdoba, Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Madrid, Zaragoza, Lleida, Tarragona, and Girona, which are all attractive destinations to visit, too. The high-speed service takes around six hours and is set to make travel between the south and northeast of Spain a much more convenient option.
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Brits planning travel to Europe are being warned by an industry body not to fall for scams amid confusion over entry and exit rules.
With the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)coming into force this week, scammers are busy taking advantage of the uncertainty. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has warned of fake websites offering a similar pass to British travellers heading into mainland Europe.
From 2 April, Europeans who don’t have a British passport are required to obtain an ETA to visit the UK. The Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a similar system that will affect UK travellers heading to Europe.
However, ETIAS is not due to launch for another 18 months, and there is presently no requirement for Brits to obtain any additional documentation to travel.
What authorisations are currently required for travel between the UK and the EU?
The UK’s ETA came into force for Europeans on 2 April, and means any EU passport holders will need to apply for and secure an ETA before visiting the UK.
The scheme has been live for visitors from non-European visa-free nationalities since January. However, its rollout has come with plenty of hiccups and confusion.
“If you have friends, family, or business associates visiting from abroad, they’ll need to check if they need to get an ETA,” says ABTA. “This is one of three changes coming up for travelling across borders between the EU and UK, but the only one to have gone live, meaning there is scope for confusion.”
There is an equivalent rule coming in for Brits traveling to Europe – the ETIAS. However, the ETIAS won’t be introduced until the new EU Entry/Exit system (EES) goes live.
The EES has been pushed back several times already, but is presently anticipated to launch in October 2025. It will be rolled out in stages, so not all changes will take effect immediately.
The ETIAS is expected to be introduced in 2026, and ABTA says likely not before the end of 2026. Even then, ETIAS is expected to be optional for at least six months. Right now, there is no additional documentation required for Brits to holiday in Europe.
“With three new changes coming in over the next couple of years, we’re keen that people understand what it means for them,” says Graeme Buck, director of communications at ABTA. “In short, the only thing to act on now is for European visitors to the UK to apply for an ETA. Nothing will be changing for UK travellers going to Europe this summer.”
How to apply for ETIAS when it comes into effect
ETIAS will be similar to the US ESTA scheme, where a simple online application grants permission to travel within the relevant area for a period of time.
For the EU scheme, the cost of an ETIAS is expected to be around €7 and will be valid for up to three years (or until the passport reaches three months to expiry). It will allow British visitors to stay in any EU country (or countries) for up to 90 days in any 180 day period.
According to the EU, third-country nationals, including the UK, will be granted a ‘grace period’ of six months on a one-time basis if they forget their ETIAS.
“Those coming to Europe for the first time since the end of the transitional period will be allowed to enter without an ETIAS provided they fulfil all remaining entry conditions,” the EU says.
ABTA warns that “people who try to apply for an ETIAS now may be at risk of fraud, with a loss of money and possibly personal data too.”
When the time does come, the only place to apply for an ETIAS will be on the official website. Any apps, websites, or social media posts suggesting there is an alternative route are impostors.
Travellers will need to submit personal information and passport data, as well as disclose any serious convictions in the past 20 years. They must state the reason for their travel and where they will be staying, as well as the Schengen Area country they will first be visiting.
The fee is payable for all applicants aged between 18 and 70. Those under 18 or over 70 will still need to apply for the document, but won’t be charged.
“With two further changes planned, the situation may not seem simple,” adds Buck. “As the changes affecting UK travellers start to come in towards the end of the year, ABTA and our members will be on hand to support travellers.”
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The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.
Starting 2 April 2025, all EU (except Irish nationals), EEA, and Swiss citizens need ETA approval to enter the UK.
The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
To obtain the visa waiver, which costs £10 (€12) from today or £16 (€19) from 9 April, travellers need to complete an online process – but some British citizens with dual nationality are already flagging issues.
How to apply for the UK’s ETA visa waiver
Travellers can either use the official mobile app, which can be downloaded from the UK government website, or apply online here.
To complete the application, you need the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.
The government advises applying at least three working days before your trip.
You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.
Though it seems pretty simple, the application process has left a handful of British dual nationals confused about whether they need to apply for the visa waiver or not.
ETA application issues for British dual nationals
In theory, British citizens with dual nationality do not need ETA and should be able to travel to the UK on whatever passport they choose.
But confusion has arisen for those who don’t have a British passport because theirs is expired, lost, or they were never issued with one.
If they choose to travel on their EU passport, the process of applying for ETA – and whether it is necessary – remains unclear.
The ETA application form asks travellers to declare any other nationalities, but the drop-down menu does not give the option to select ‘British citizen’.
Should British dual nationals continue with their application without declaring their ‘secondary’ nationality, they would theoretically be forced to give misinformation about their dual nationality.
Euronews Travel posed the question to an ETA advisor from the Home Office on their web chat.
The advisor refused to give guidance about not declaring British nationality on the ETA form. They stated that if you are a dual citizen with British/Irish citizenship, you do not need an ETA.
However, “you prove your permission to travel using your valid British/Irish passport or other passport containing a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the UK.”
When asked what to do if the traveller is not in possession of any of these documents, the advisor responded, “You either need to apply for a British passport or a certificate of entitlement”.
Renewing a UK passport from overseas costs £101 (€123), while a certificate of entitlement comes with a £550 (€658) fee. Both application processes take several weeks.
Euronews Travel has reached out to the Home Office for official guidance.
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