Flight delayed or cancelled? What to do, step by step

November 8, 2026 · 4 min read

You are at the airport, the board says "delayed" or "cancelled", and a queue is forming at the desk. What you do in the next fifteen minutes makes a real difference. Everyone else has the same idea, and the airline's staff and phone lines are about to get busy.

Here is a calm order of steps, and how to look after yourself while you wait.

First, find out what is happening

Before you do anything, get the facts.

Check the airline's app, the airport's departure board and any email or text from the airline.
Note the new departure time, or whether the flight is cancelled outright.
Ask whether the airline is re-booking you automatically. Many airlines do this on a single booking, and the app or an email may already show a new flight.

If the delay is short and the gate is open, stay near the gate and keep checking. If the delay is long or the flight is cancelled, move to the next step.

Get in line, and make contact in another way too

When many flights are affected, queues at the desk can be long. Do two things at once.

Join the queue at the airline's desk or the transfer desk.
While you wait, use the app, the website or the airline's chat, or call. Often a re-booking can be done faster online than in person, and you can do it from your seat.

If you are in a group, split up: one person queues, one tries online, one phones. Share what you find in the chat. Keep calm and polite with staff; they have the most power to help and are under the most pressure.

What to ask for

Know what you want before you reach the desk.

A new flight, on the same airline or, if they can, another one. Ask for the earliest option, and for what is realistic.
Care while you wait, such as meals, refreshments, communication, and a hotel and transport if you are stranded overnight. Which of these you are entitled to depends on the rules where you are.
A written record, such as a confirmation or a message that states the delay or the cancellation and the reason, if they will give it.
Your bags, if you are being moved to another flight, so they travel with you.

If you cannot or do not want to travel any more, ask about a refund of the unused ticket. Be careful before accepting a voucher or a refund: understand what you are giving up.

Know that passenger-rights rules exist

Some regions, for example the European Union and the United Kingdom, have passenger-rights rules covering delays, cancellations and denied boarding. What you are entitled to depends on where you are flying from and to, the airline, the length of the delay and the cause. Rules differ elsewhere, and in some places there are few formal rules at all.

The rules change, so do not rely on anything you read on a blog, including this one. Check the official regulator's website for the country or region you are flying in, or the airline's own conditions of carriage. They set out what you can claim and how to do it.

Keep your evidence

Whatever you are entitled to, you will find it easier to claim if you have a record.

Your booking confirmation and boarding pass
Screenshots of the delay or cancellation notice, and of the departure board with the time
Receipts for any food, transport or accommodation you pay for because of the delay
The names of people you spoke to, with times
Any messages from the airline

Put these in one place as you go, and keep them offline.

If you have a connection, a hotel or a plan

A delay affects everything after it. Once you know your new time, work down the chain:

A connecting flight. If it is on the same booking, the airline should look after it. If it is on a separate ticket, contact that airline as soon as possible. Long layover tips explains why tickets and bookings matter.
Someone meeting you. Tell them the new time and where to find you. Airport to city can help you plan the last leg with a new time.
Your first night's stay. Message the hotel or host. Many will keep the room if they know you are late, and some have late check-in procedures.
Tours, trains and reservations for the first day. Move or cancel them as early as possible.
Insurance. Check your travel insurance policy for what it covers in a delay, and what proof it needs. Travel insurance explained covers what policies usually include.

Look after yourself

A long wait in an airport is tiring. Drink water, eat something, charge your phone and find somewhere to sit. If you have medication, children or special needs, tell the airline staff, who may be able to help. If the wait is overnight, look for a quiet, safe place and keep your valuables on you.

Keep the plan in one place

When the plan changes, everybody needs the new version. If your trip's flights, stays and bookings are in one place, it takes a few minutes to see what the delay affects, and to tell the people in your group.

What to do next

Before your next flight, save the airline's app, put your booking references somewhere that works offline and check your insurance for delay cover. Then, if the board changes, you already know what to do.