When a flight is delayed or cancelled, it's easy to feel stranded and powerless — but airlines have clear legal obligations, known as "duty of care," to look after you. Knowing your rights can save you money, reduce stress, and get you home faster when plans fall apart. This complete guide explains what you're entitled to, how duty of care differs from compensation, and practical ways to get home when the trains have stopped and your flight has collapsed.
Under UK law (the retained EU261 regulations that still apply to flights departing UK airports and UK/EU airlines), if your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled, the airline must provide care and assistance to stranded passengers — regardless of the cause of the disruption. This duty exists even when the delay is due to weather or other factors outside the airline's control. It is completely separate from cash compensation, which depends on whose fault the disruption was.
The level of care depends on the length of the delay and the length of your flight, but broadly, airlines must offer:
| Situation | Your Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Long delay (2+ hours short-haul, more for longer flights) | Food and drink appropriate to the wait, plus a means to communicate (calls/emails) |
| Overnight delay | Hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and hotel |
| Cancellation | A choice between a full refund or re-routing to your destination |
| Re-routed to/from a different airport | Transport costs to your original destination or arranged airport |
| Downgrade | A partial refund of the fare difference |
These are two separate rights, and confusing them is where many travellers go wrong:
In other words: you might get food and a hotel but no cash compensation if bad weather grounds your flight — but you're still owed that care.
If the airline provides care at the airport (vouchers, a hotel), simply accept it. If they don't — which happens often during major disruption when staff are overwhelmed — take these steps:
Some of the hardest moments come not at the airport but afterwards — when re-routing lands you far from home, at a different airport than planned, or after the last train and coach have gone. Common scenarios where a transfer becomes the fastest way home include:
If you know your inbound flight is at risk, or you're travelling during a period of likely disruption (winter storms, strike season), having a reliable transfer option ready can turn a stranded night into a straightforward journey home. A flight-tracked service adjusts to your actual landing time and airport, and a fixed price means no late-night surge charges when you're already tired and stressed.
A: Yes — care and assistance (food, hotel, transport) are owed regardless of cause. Cash compensation, however, is usually not owed for extraordinary circumstances like severe weather.
A: Arrange reasonable accommodation yourself, keep receipts, and claim the cost back from the airline afterwards.
A: Often yes, if it's a reasonable cost caused directly by the disruption. Check your airline's policy and keep the receipt.
A: The airline should cover transport to your original destination or the arranged airport. Keep receipts if you arrange it yourself.
A: Time limits vary but are generally generous (often up to six years in the UK for reimbursement). Claim as soon as you reasonably can, with all your receipts.
Disruption happens, but you're never truly on your own — airlines owe you care by law. Understand your entitlements, keep every receipt, distinguish care from compensation, and have a reliable way home ready for when plans change. A little knowledge turns a travel nightmare into a manageable inconvenience.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, check your airline's terms and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidance.
Fixed-price, flight-tracked transfers when trains stop and plans change.
Book Now →