First, confirm whether your specific flight is cancelled: an airline bankruptcy filing does not necessarily mean the flight has been cancelled or that the carrier has stopped flying. If it is cancelled, decide whether you want a refund or still need to travel, then check which passenger-rights rules apply to your itinerary. If the airline has ceased operating and you are stranded, seek a confirmed way to continue your journey, contact your insurer and any package organizer, and keep records of what you spend.
What should you do first?
- Check the flight, not just the headlines. Look for a cancellation or schedule-change notice in the airline’s app, website, email, or text messages, and contact the airline or ticket agent before setting out. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) advises travelers to check whether a flight is still scheduled and whether its timing has changed. As DOT puts it, “An airline or ticket agent bankruptcy does not necessarily mean that your flight has been cancelled.”
- Keep the paperwork. Save your booking confirmation, ticket, payment record, cancellation notices, proposed alternatives, and messages with the airline or agent. Keep insurance documents and receipts for necessary replacement transport, meals, accommodation, and communication, too.
- Choose between getting money back and continuing the trip. A refund and a replacement journey are different outcomes. Before accepting a voucher or replacement flight, check the rules for your itinerary and what accepting or taking the offer means for refund eligibility.
- Write down what happens next. Record whom you contacted, when you contacted them, what they offered, and any case or reference number. If you later need to request a refund or reimbursement, a clear record will help you explain what happened.
Which passenger-rights rules may apply?
There is no single worldwide cancellation rule, and nationality alone does not determine which rules cover a flight. Consider the departure and arrival airports, operating airline, whether the flights are on one reservation, and whether the trip is part of a package. The table summarizes official U.S., UK, and EU guidance; it is not a complete guide to every country’s laws.
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| Rules | When the cited guidance generally applies | Options and protections described |
|---|---|---|
| United States | DOT’s refund rules for flights to, from, or within the United States, in the circumstances covered by its guidance. | If the airline cancels and you do not accept the alternative, voucher, or other offered compensation, DOT says you are entitled to a ticket refund. Its refund rule does not require the airline to rebook you. Airline commitments to meals, hotels, and other amenities vary. |
| United Kingdom | CAA guidance generally covers flights departing a UK airport on any airline; arriving at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline; and arriving at an EU airport on a UK airline. | For a covered cancellation, you may choose a refund or rerouting under comparable conditions. While waiting for an alternative, you may be entitled to reasonable care, including food and drink, communication, and, if needed, overnight accommodation and transport to it. Compensation is a separate question. |
| European Union | The European Commission’s Your Europe guidance describes passenger rights for covered flights under EU rules. Check the exact itinerary and reservation, especially when more than one carrier or booking is involved. | For a cancellation, the guidance says passengers may choose reimbursement, rerouting at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later convenient date, subject to seat availability, and may be entitled to assistance. Compensation depends on notice and the circumstances. |
United States: refund deadlines and significant changes
Under the DOT’s current refund guidance, the deadline is seven business days for a credit-card purchase and 20 business days for other payment methods in the circumstances described on its official page, Refunds. The page also describes significant changes that may qualify for a refund, including certain arrival delays, airport changes, additional connections, and involuntary downgrades. The result depends on the circumstances and whether you accept and take an offered alternative: a passenger who takes a significantly changed or replacement flight generally is not entitled to a ticket refund under the DOT rule.
For amenities during a disruption, check the airline’s specific commitments rather than assuming a meal or hotel is guaranteed. DOT’s Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard compares airlines’ stated commitments; those commitments are not a promise that every cancellation will qualify.
United Kingdom: care and compensation are separate
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says that if an airline does not arrange required care, a passenger may arrange reasonable care and claim the cost later. Keep every receipt and spend reasonably: the CAA cautions against unreasonable expenses such as luxury hotels or alcohol. Compensation is separate from a refund and care; eligibility depends on factors including how much notice the airline gave and the cause of cancellation. Circumstances such as extreme weather or air-traffic-control disruption may rule out compensation.
European Union: check which version of the rules is in force
On 28 July 2026, the European Commission reported that revised EU air-passenger rules had been adopted and were expected to enter into force the following summer. The Commission said the existing rules remain applicable until the new rules enter into force. Because the commencement date and implementing guidance may change, check the Commission’s current Your Europe guidance for the rule version in force when you travel.
What if the airline has stopped flying?
A carrier may cease service through liquidation, while a bankruptcy filing may also involve reorganization and continued operations. Verify your flight’s status before treating the ticket as cancelled. If the carrier has stopped flying, what to do next depends in part on whether you are still at home, away from home, or travelling as part of a package.
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If you are still at home
Ask the airline or the agent that sold the ticket how the cancellation and refund will be handled. If the airline will not refund you, contact your card issuer and ask what dispute process, records, and deadlines apply. DOT says a credit-card buyer may be entitled to a credit under the Fair Credit Billing Act when an airline files for bankruptcy or stops flying and refuses a refund. Some debit-card issuers may voluntarily reimburse for a service that was not provided, but protections vary. Travel insurance may help depending on the policy.
You may also be able to file a proof of claim in bankruptcy. DOT cautions that other creditors may have priority, so an unsecured passenger might receive only a small fraction of the amount owed.
If you are stranded away from home
Contact other airlines serving your destination and ask whether they will accept your ticket or offer a confirmed, standby, or discounted replacement. Do not assume another carrier must honor a ticket issued by the failed airline; ask whether a seat is confirmed and what the replacement will cost. DOT recommends contacting your insurer before making alternative arrangements if possible, and keeping records of the arrangements and expenses.
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If you booked through an agent or as part of a package
Contact both the ticket agent and the operating airline, since the refund path can depend on who sold the ticket. If the flight is part of a package holiday, promptly notify the package organizer; UK guidance says the organizer is responsible for managing the other parts of the package.
For a UK package, check the booking documents and any ATOL certificate. If a qualifying ATOL-protected organizer fails, travelers who have not departed may be able to apply to the CAA for a refund, while travelers already abroad may receive help returning to the UK. The UK government guide also says a credit-card purchase over £100 without ATOL protection may have Consumer Credit Act protection. Do not assume that a scheduled airline ticket by itself is ATOL-protected; check the specific booking and certificate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do refunds, rerouting, care, and compensation differ?
- Refund: Money back for the ticket when the applicable rules and your choice allow it. Under the U.S. DOT rule, accepting an offered alternative can affect refund eligibility.
- Rerouting: A replacement journey to your destination. UK and EU guidance describes rerouting choices for covered cancellations; DOT’s U.S. refund rule does not require an airline to rebook you.
- Care: Assistance such as food, communication, accommodation, or transport while you wait, where the applicable rules or airline commitments provide for it.
- Compensation: A separate potential payment under some rules. Eligibility can depend on notice, arrival impact, and the reason for the cancellation; a refund does not automatically mean compensation is due.
How should you choose between a refund and another way to travel?
Compare the practical consequences before committing to an option. A replacement that gets you to your destination sooner may cost more or create baggage and connection issues; a refund may not solve an urgent need to travel. Check:
Quick Recap
- Whether your priority is recovering the ticket price or reaching the destination.
- Whether the original airline is still operating and whether any replacement seat is actually confirmed.
- The new arrival time, total price, connections, baggage arrangements, and any onward travel you could miss.
- Which jurisdiction’s rules apply, based on the itinerary and reservation rather than your nationality alone.
- Whether you booked directly, through a ticket agent, or as part of a package, and whether your insurer asks to be contacted before you incur replacement costs.
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