Last-Minute Flight Cancellation: Your Rights

Are you experiencing a last-minute flight cancellation?

What to do if your your Vueling flight is cancelled last minute?

Flight cancellations can cause significant disruptions, particularly when it involves connecting flights or other travel arrangements. However, both EU laws and Vueling’s flight cancellation policy offer passenger protection in such instances. Consequently, if your Vueling flight is cancelled, it is the airline’s duty to assist you and seek an appropriate resolution.

1. Vueling Flight Cancellation: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation

There are many reasons why airlines might cancel flights, ranging from mechanical issues to weather conditions. In many cases, passengers may be entitled to compensation or other legal protections in the event of a last-minute flight cancellation.

If Vueling cancels your flight, they are obligated to provide you with appropriate care and support. That may include a new flight, free meals and a free hotel stay.

• If the last-minute flight cancellation results in a significant waiting period at the airport, Vueling is required to offer you certain benefits. For a wait of 3 hours or longer, you are entitled to a coupon for a complimentary meal. In the case of an overnight wait, Vueling must provide free hotel accommodation and transfer services. This is called “right to care“.
• Should you choose not to accept the alternative flight offered to you, Vueling is obligated to provide a full refund. This refund can be issued either as a direct transfer to your bank account or in the form of a refundable Vueling voucher.
• If the flight cancellation occurs less than 2 weeks of the original departure date and is due to Vueling’s fault, you have the right to claim flight cancellation compensation from the airline.

In the event that a missed connection arises as a result of a cancellation on your Vueling flight, you may be eligible for compensation. For detailed information, please refer to our comprehensive Vueling missed connection compensation guide.

In short, the rules are similar to those for flight delays. You need to see how much later you arrive at your destination compared to your original arrival time. The compensation amount depends on the distance of your flight.

If you miss your connection, Vueling will provide you with a new flight free of charge.

The above mentioned rules apply to all Vueling flights.

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?

Your course of action when faced with a last-minute flight cancellation depends on your current location—whether you are at home or have already reached the airport.

2.1 If You Are Still at Home or Hotel

If you are at home or in a hotel and discover that your flight has been cancelled, it is advisable to remain where you are for the time being. Contact Vueling customer service to determine the next steps to take.

As mentioned earlier, Vueling will provide you with assistance and inform you of your options. You may be rescheduled for a flight on the same day or the following day, depending on availability. It is worth noting that you can also inquire about the possibility of a flight with an alternative airline.

If the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances, you are entitled to a free alternative flight to your destination, or a refund if you prefer. If the flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you may be entitled to compensation, too.

2.2 If You Are Already at the Airport

If you are already at the airport and your flight gets cancelled, refrain from proceeding through airport security. Vueling will arrange a new flight for you. This means you will need to obtain a new boarding pass by completing the check-in process again. If you have checked luggage, it will need to be checked in once more, and you will also need to pass through passport control. If you have already cleared security, make an effort to return to the public access area of the airport (landside).

It is crucial to get in touch with Vueling’s representatives at the airport to receive guidance on the subsequent steps. They will provide you with assistance, including offering an alternative flight to your destination or a full refund.

Keep in mind that you have a right to care from Vueling.

3. Vueling Flight Cancellation Compensation

Flight compensation regulations have been established by the EU to protect passenger rights.

In the event that your flight is canceled less than 2 weeks of the scheduled departure date, it is considered a last-minute cancellation. As a result, you may be eligible for compensation in accordance with these regulations.

Your flight is cancelled 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by Lufthansa, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by Lufthansa, which departs not 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 situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Conditions for claiming compensation:

• Flight cancelled due to the fault of Vueling;
• Flight departs from or arrives in Europe;
• Flight cancelled last-minute (less than 2 weeks before departure).

How much compensation do you get for a cancelled flight?

There are 3 different compensation amounts for flight cancellations because they are based on the distance of the flight. The EU Regulation 261/2004 establishes clear guidelines for compensation according to the length of the flight.

Flights that are shorter than 1,500 km have a smaller compensation amount compared to flights that are between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, which in turn have a smaller compensation amount compared to flights over 3,500 km.

• For flights up to 1,500 km, passengers may be entitled to €250;
• For flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, passengers may be entitled to €400;
• For flights over 3,500 km, passengers may be entitled to €600.

Read more: Vueling Flight Cancellation Compensation

4. Vueling Flight Cancellation Refund

If a Vueling flight gets cancelled, passengers have the entitlement to either a rescheduled flight to their intended destination or a full refund. The refund choice may be influenced by personal circumstances and future travel plans. One can opt to have the refund processed to their bank account, while others will agree to a Vueling voucher.

Vueling assures that your refund will be processed within 7 days.

It is crucial to differentiate between the right to compensation and the right to a refund. These are separate entitlements under UK/EU flight compensation regulations. Hence, even if you choose the refund, you may still qualify for compensation depending on the specifics of the flight cancellation.

4.1 What Happens If You Cancel a Flight?

If you, as a passenger, decide to cancel your flight, the refund conditions are variable. Generally, Vueling’s refund policy is determined by the type of ticket you have purchased.

Tickets that are fully-flexible are usually refundable, while low-cost, non-flexible tickets might not be. It’s always recommended to peruse the specific conditions attached to your ticket or contact Vueling’s customer support for additional information. If your travel insurance policy covers cancellations, you might be able to acquire a refund through your insurance provider.

5. How to Claim Vueling Flight Compensation / Refund?

To get a refund for the last-minute flight cancellation, contact Vueling via their website.

What about flight compensation? Can you get it?

If your Vueling flight gets canceled, you have the potential to receive compensation. The crucial step you must take is to initiate a claim. Failing to do so will result in no compensation being provided. To submit your claim, you can contact Vueling.

It’s important to note that you have the right to receive monetary compensation and are not obligated to accept travel vouchers. According to EC Regulation 261, compensation for flight disruptions must be directly transferred to your bank account.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

When you choose this option, everything is handled by a flight compensation company. They will make a compensation claim and complete the process on your behalf.

Our partners offer such services.

Read more:

• Your Vueling Compensation Claim Is Rejected. What’s Next?
• Your Vueling Refund Is Taking Forever? Here’s Your Plan of Action

Last-minute flight cancellation – have you ever experienced that? How did the airline solve that? Do you still have questions about Vueling compensation policies? Ask in the comments.