What happens if the airline cancels or changes my flight?

When an airline changes or cancels a flight and tells us, we tell you, in MyArea and by email. What happens next depends on the size of the change.

A change of 3 hours or less: we accept the new time on your behalf automatically. Your booking and tickets stay as they are, and there is nothing to do.

A change of more than 3 hours, or a different departure or arrival airport: we send you the alternatives the airline is offering at that moment, with a deadline to choose. The deadline is short because the airline holds those options only briefly.

If you do not reply by the deadline, we choose on your behalf so that you keep a valid reservation rather than losing the seat. Answer within the window if you want the choice to be yours.

If the flight is cancelled outright and you do not want an alternative, tell us and we pursue the refund with the airline. The airline returns the funds to us and we return them to you, less our service fees, which are non-refundable. Not every component of a fare is recoverable, so the amount returned will be less than the total paid. You will be asked to choose a refund method within 30 days; after that a voucher is issued instead.

Two cautions. Changes in the last 24 hours before departure may not reach us in time to relay, so check the airline's website or app before leaving for the airport. And when disruption happens at the airport, the airline's desk is the only party who can rebook you on the spot; go to them first.

Anything concerning the operation of the flight itself, including compensation, sits between you and the operating airline. We can provide your booking documents from MyArea if the airline asks for them.