Are you experiencing a last-minute flight cancellation?
If your airBaltic flight is cancelled last-minute, it can disrupt your connecting flights and travel plans. Nevertheless, passengers are not left unprotected in these circumstances. The EU/UK law and airBaltic flight cancellation policy offer safeguards for passengers. This has been the case for over a decade. Therefore, if airBaltic cancels your flight, it is the airline’s responsibility to ensure you are taken care of and a suitable alternative is provided.
1. airBaltic Flight Cancellation: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation
If airBaltic cancels your flight, they have an obligation to take care of you.
- If a last-minute flight cancellation forces you to wait for extended hours at the airport, you have a right to care from airBaltic. If the delay is 3 hours, they should provide a voucher for a complimentary meal, and if it’s an overnight delay – free hotel accommodation and transfer.
- If you choose not to take the replacement flight offered to you, you have the right to a full refund from airBaltic. This refund will be either wired to your bank account, or given as an airBaltic voucher.
- As long as the cancellation is last minute (i.e., flight cancelled up to 2 weeks before the original departure date), and the cancellation is airBaltic’s fault, you can claim flight cancellation compensation from airBaltic.
If you’ve missed a connecting flight due to a cancellation on your airBaltic flight, you may qualify for compensation. For more information, please consult our airBaltic missed connection compensation guide.
In short, the rules mirror those for flight delays. You need to calculate how much later you arrive at your final destination compared to your original schedule.
These compensation rules apply to all airBaltic flights to and from Europe.
By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
2. What to Do if Your Flight Is Cancelled Last-Minute?
What to do if your airBaltic flight is cancelled last-minute?
The process to follow depends on your current location. If you are already at the airport, the steps might be different from if you are still at home or hotel.
2.1 If You Are Still at Home or Hotel
If your flight gets cancelled whilst you are still at home or your hotel, it’s recommended to stay put for the moment. Reach out to airBaltic’s customer service to find out the next steps.
As mentioned before, airBaltic will provide support. They will inform you about your choices – it’s possible you will be departing later the same day or the next. This is based on flight availability. Remember, you can also request a flight with a different airline.
If the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances, you have a right to care, a free replacement flight to your destination, or a refund if that’s what you want. If your flight is cancelled due to airBaltic’s fault, in addition to the aforementioned benefits, you are entitled to receive European flight cancellation compensation.
2.2 If You Are Already at the Airport
If you find yourself at the airport when your flight is cancelled, avoid proceeding through airport security. A replacement flight will be arranged for you. This implies that you need to complete the check-in process again to get a new boarding pass. And if you have any checked baggage, check it in again, and go through passport control. If you have already cleared security, aim to return to the landside (public access) area of the airport.
It’s crucial to get in touch with airBaltic’s representatives at the airport to understand what to do next. They will provide necessary assistance, such as offering an alternative flight to your destination (or a full refund) and care.
3. AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation
The UK/EU has specific regulations regarding last-minute flight cancellation.
If your flight gets cancelled less than 2 weeks before the scheduled departure date, it qualifies as a last-minute cancellation, and you might be eligible for compensation.
Your flight is cancelled 7 – 14 days before the scheduled departure time:
- You opt for a replacement flight provided by airBaltic, which departs no more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your final destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this case, you are not eligible for compensation.
- In all other situations, you have a right to compensation.
Your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled departure time:
- You choose a replacement flight offered by airBaltic, which leaves no more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this case, you are not entitled to compensation.
- In other situations, you can claim compensation.
Conditions for claiming compensation:
- Flight cancelled due to airBaltic’s mistake;
- Flight is to/from/within Europe;
- Last-minute flight cancellation.
Read more: AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation
4. AirBaltic Flight Cancellation Refund
In case your airBaltic flight has been cancelled, you are entitled to either opt for a replacement flight to your intended destination or an airBaltic refund for cancellation. If you desire to claim a refund, it can be paid directly into your bank account or dispensed as an airBaltic voucher.
The choice depends on your personal preference and travel plans.
The refund from airBaltic should typically reach you within a week.
It is crucial to underline that the privilege to claim compensation and to get a refund are two distinct rights under the UK/EU flight compensation regulations. Even if you decide to claim a refund, you could still be qualified for compensation depending on the circumstances of the flight cancellation, as described above.
Read more: Is Your airBaltic Refund Taking Longer Than Anticipated? Here’s What To Do
4.1 What If You Cancel a Flight?
In the scenario where you, the passenger, decide to cancel your flight, the refund policy varies. Largely, airBaltic’s refund policy depends on the category of ticket you have purchased.
Tickets that are entirely flexible are normally refundable, whereas inexpensive, non-flexible tickets may not be refundable. It’s always a good idea to review the specific terms of your ticket or get in touch with airBaltic’s customer support for further information. If you have an insurance policy that covers cancellations, you could potentially claim a refund through your insurance provider.
5. How to Claim airBaltic Flight Cancellation Compensation? Cancellation Refund?
To claim a refund for your ticket, you can proceed to the “Manage Booking” section. The refund amount will be processed using the same payment method you utilized while booking your ticket. If you prefer, you can choose to receive a refund in form of a gift card.
What about flight cancellation compensation?
If your flight gets cancelled, you might be eligible for compensation from airBaltic. The primary step you need to take is to file a claim. If you fail to claim, you will not receive any compensation. You can reach out to airBaltic customer support to initiate your claim.
Bear in mind, you are entitled to compensation, and it’s not mandatory to accept travel vouchers. As per EC Regulation 261, any compensation due to flight disruptions in the EU must be credited directly into your bank account. The compensation amount that you can claim is pre-established and varies from 250 to 600 euros.
The other, more simple alternative is to engage legal representation.
Choosing this option allows a flight compensation company to handle everything for you. They will raise a compensation claim and manage the entire process on your behalf.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: How to Claim airBaltic Compensation?
Last-minute flight cancellation – have you ever experienced that? How did the airline solve that? Do you still have questions about airBaltic compensation policies? Ask in the comments.