Flight delays and cancellations can happen for many reasons – from bad weather and technical faults to airspace restrictions. If your trip is disrupted, some expenses may be reimbursed through insurance. Below, we explain when this is possible and what you need to do to receive a payout.
Contents:
- Reasons for flight cancellation
- What to do if your flight is cancelled
- When flight cancellation insurance applies
- When an airline may refuse compensation
- How much you can recover after a flight cancellation
- How to claim an insurance payout after a flight cancellation
- Frequently asked questions
Reasons for flight cancellation
A flight may be cancelled either for reasons attributable to the airline or because of circumstances beyond the carrier’s control.
Reasons attributable to the airline:
- a technical fault in the aircraft, if the aircraft requires repair or an additional inspection;
- crew shortages or other staffing issues;
- operational reasons – aircraft replacement, schedule changes, or flight planning errors;
- overbooking – in some cases, this may result in a flight being cancelled or combined with another flight.
Reasons beyond the airline’s control:
- adverse weather conditions – heavy snowfall, fog, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other events that may threaten flight safety;
- airspace closure or the introduction of flight restrictions;
- strikes by airport staff, air traffic control services, or other organizations involved in aviation operations;
- force majeure circumstances – natural disasters, terrorist threats, emergencies, military action, and other events that could not have been foreseen.
The reason for a flight cancellation affects not only the passenger’s right to compensation from the airline, but also the possibility of receiving an insurance payout. Only the events listed in the terms of a specific insurance policy are treated as insured events.
What to do if your flight is cancelled
If your flight is cancelled, contact the airline and, if you have a policy that covers trip disruption, the insurance company as soon as possible. Your actions will determine whether you can receive a new ticket, a refund, or an insurance payout. This procedure is recommended by Rospotrebnadzor, aviation regulations, and insurers themselves.
- Contact an airline representative. Ask why the flight was cancelled and choose one of the available options: taking the next available flight, changing the route, or receiving a ticket refund if you decide not to travel.
- Get confirmation of the flight cancellation. Ask for a flight cancellation certificate or another document stamped or confirmed by the airline. Also keep your itinerary receipt, boarding pass (if it has already been issued), cancellation notices, and correspondence with the carrier. You will need these documents when contacting the insurance company.
- Keep documents confirming your expenses. If the flight cancellation forced you to pay for a hotel, meals, transport, or new tickets, keep all receipts and invoices. Without them, the insurance company will generally not reimburse these expenses.
When flight cancellation insurance applies
An insurance payout is possible only if the flight cancellation or related expenses qualify as insured events under the contract. Most insurers specify these conditions separately, and airlines recommend that passengers review carriage rules and refund options in advance.
As a rule, insurance applies if the following conditions are met:
- you have a policy that includes the risk of flight cancellation, trip cancellation, or flight delay – standard travel medical insurance usually does not cover such cases;
- the flight was cancelled during the validity period of the insurance policy;
- the reason for cancellation is included among the insured events listed in the contract. For example, cancellation of a flight by the carrier may be covered if this risk is included in the policy;
- you notified the insurance company of the event on time and followed the claims procedure set out in the contract;
- you have documents confirming the insured event: an airline certificate or flight cancellation notice, the air ticket, boarding pass (if issued), receipts, and other documents confirming expenses;
- the expenses have not been fully compensated by the airline. If the carrier has already provided an alternative flight, fully refunded the ticket, or paid for the required services, the insurer usually reimburses only the losses that remain uncovered, if this is provided for by the policy terms.
Insurance terms differ between companies. Before buying a policy, check the list of insured events, exclusions, payout limits, and deadlines for notifying the insurer.
Purchase insurance that covers your expenses in the event of flight cancellation or delay by choosing "PREMIUM insurance with full coverage".
When an airline may refuse compensation
If a flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, the carrier may be exempt from paying monetary compensation to the passenger. However, it must still refund the ticket price or offer an alternative flight, as well as provide the services required by law, such as meals, accommodation, and transfer, if necessary.
Extraordinary circumstances usually include:
- military action, armed conflicts, or terrorist threats;
- airspace closure by decision of government authorities;
- strikes by dispatchers, air traffic control services, or airport employees, though this does not always apply to strikes by the airline’s own employees;
- adverse weather conditions if they make the flight unsafe, such as heavy snowfall, a hurricane, a thunderstorm, or fog;
- natural disasters and other natural emergencies;
- restrictions imposed by government authorities, such as sanitary bans or flight bans.
If the airline is exempt from paying monetary compensation due to extraordinary circumstances, this does not automatically mean that the insurance company will also refuse a payout. Insurance works according to its own rules: if the reason for the flight cancellation is included in the list of insured events and is not excluded by the contract, the passenger may receive reimbursement of expenses.
How much you can recover after a flight cancellation
The amount depends on who reimburses the expenses – the airline or the insurance company. In some cases, the passenger may receive only a ticket refund; in others, additional expenses may also be reimbursed if this is provided for by the insurance contract.
Refund from the airline in case of flight cancellation
If the carrier cancels the flight, the passenger can choose one of the following options:
- a full refund of the unused ticket;
- rebooking on the nearest flight of the same airline or, in some cases, another carrier at no extra charge;
- travel on a later date agreed with the airline.
If the passenger refuses the alternative transportation offered, the airline must refund the ticket. The refund method usually matches the original payment method: funds are transferred back to a bank card or account, or returned in another way provided by the carrier’s rules.
If the wait for a new flight is long, the carrier must also provide the services required by aviation rules free of charge: meals, drinks, accommodation, transfer, and the opportunity to contact relatives or close people.
Insurance reimbursement in case of flight cancellation
If the passenger has a policy covering flight cancellation or delay, the insurance company may reimburse the expenses provided for by the contract.
Most often, insurers reimburse:
- the cost of unused tickets, if it has not been refunded by the airline;
- the cost of buying new tickets;
- hotel expenses;
- meal expenses;
- transfer expenses;
- other confirmed expenses caused by the flight cancellation.
The payout amount depends on the policy terms. The insurance company does not reimburse expenses above the established limit and may reduce the payout if part of the costs has already been compensated by the airline or another insurer.
To receive a payout, you must provide the following documents:
- itinerary receipt;
- boarding pass;
- flight cancellation notice;
- carrier certificate;
- receipts for additional expenses.
Payments from the airline and the insurance company do not always exclude each other. For example, the carrier may refund the ticket price, while the insurer may reimburse hotel, meal, or new ticket expenses if these risks are covered by the policy and were not covered by the airline.
Purchase insurance that covers your expenses in the event of flight cancellation or delay by choosing "PREMIUM insurance with full coverage".
How to claim an insurance payout after a flight cancellation
1. Check the terms of your insurance policy
Before contacting the insurer, make sure that the flight cancellation qualifies as an insured event under your contract. Check which reasons for cancellation are covered by the policy, the insured amount and payout limits, the deadlines for notifying the insurance company, and the list of required documents. If the reason for cancellation is excluded by the contract, the insurer may refuse the payout.
2. Obtain confirmation of the flight cancellation
Contact the airline and request documents confirming the cancellation or change of the flight. This may include:
- a certificate from the carrier;
- a cancellation notice;
- a letter or message from the airline;
- a note in the carrier’s personal account or app.
You should also keep the ticket, itinerary receipt, boarding pass (if any), and correspondence with the airline.
3. Report the insured event
Contact the insurance company in any convenient way:
- through the mobile app;
- through your personal account on the website;
- by calling the hotline;
- by email.
It is important to do this within the deadline set by the contract. Some insurers require the event to be reported immediately after it occurs.
4. Collect the documents for the payout
The insurance company usually asks you to provide:
- a payout application;
- a passport or another identity document;
- the insurance policy;
- air tickets;
- confirmation of the flight cancellation;
- expense documents, such as receipts, invoices, hotel bills, transport bills, or new ticket receipts;
- bank details for the payout transfer.
The exact list depends on the terms of the specific insurance product.
5. Wait for the insurance company’s decision
After receiving the documents, the insurer reviews them and decides whether to approve or deny the payout. If the event is recognized as insured, the money is transferred within the amount specified in the contract. If the insurer refuses the payout, the passenger may request a written explanation of the reasons and appeal the decision if they consider it unfounded.
Frequently asked questions
When a flight is cancelled, passengers often lose the chance to receive compensation not because they have no right to a payout, but because they make mistakes when preparing documents and contacting the insurance company. To avoid these mistakes after a flight cancellation:
- do not throw away your boarding pass and other travel documents. Even if the flight did not take place, the ticket, boarding pass, itinerary receipt, and correspondence with the airline may be needed to confirm the insured event;
- request confirmation of the flight cancellation from the airline. Without an official document, it may be difficult for the insurance company to confirm that the insured event occurred;
- do not buy a new ticket or pay additional expenses without agreeing this with the insurer. Some insurance companies require you to report the situation in advance and receive confirmation of further actions. Otherwise, expenses may not be reimbursed in full;
- report the insured event within the required deadline. The insurance contract usually states the period within which the company must be notified of the flight cancellation. Missing this deadline may result in a denied payout;
- review the policy terms before the trip. Tourists sometimes expect compensation even though the reason for the flight cancellation is not included in the list of insured events or is excluded by the contract.
If you missed the next flight because the first flight was delayed, your actions depend on whether the tickets were issued under one booking.
If the flights were on one ticket, contact the airline. The carrier is usually required to offer an onward travel option, such as rebooking you on the nearest flight.
If the tickets were separate, responsibility for the missed second flight usually lies with the passenger. A refund is possible only according to the fare rules or through insurance, if this risk is covered by the policy.
In any case, keep confirmation of the first flight delay, tickets, boarding passes, and receipts for additional expenses. You will need these documents when contacting the carrier or insurer.
Insurance may reimburse expenses caused by missing a flight, but only if the reason is included in the list of insured events under the policy. The mere fact that the passenger did not board the plane is usually not grounds for a payout.
As a rule, the insurance company does not reimburse expenses if the passenger missed the flight through their own fault:
- left home too late and failed to allow enough travel time;
- got stuck in an ordinary traffic jam that could have been anticipated;
- miscalculated the time needed to arrive at the airport;
- forgot their passport or other required documents;
- missed check-in or boarding for personal reasons.
Compensation is possible if the reason for missing the flight was beyond the passenger’s control and is covered by the policy terms. For example:
- a delay of the previous flight that caused the passenger to miss a connection;
- an accident or serious transport breakdown on the way to the airport, if this risk is included in the contract;
- emergencies that prevented the passenger from getting to the airport;
- a flight delay or schedule change by the airline that led to additional expenses.