Flight cancellations – your rights

On the programme on 23 January 2026, travel expert Simon Calder had this advice about your rights when a flight is cancelled.

• It’s an airline’s duty to get you to your destination as soon as possible. If there’s a two-day wait for a flight on the same airline, push for one that’s leaving sooner with a different airline.

• If an airline won’t offer compensation, ask for a specific reason why – if it can’t give you a reason that falls within the rules, it has to offer compensation. There’s much more information about flight compensation rules on the Rip Off Britain website – click here.

• If you’re not happy, complain in writing to the airline. If necessary, escalate the complaint to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. The Civil Aviation Authority website has more information on ADR – click here.