Flight cancellations are hard to deal with. But what happens next is often worse than the cancellation itself. Some airlines act fast, offer clear rerouting options, and communicate with passengers. Others leave travelers waiting with vague updates and no clear plan. It becomes even harder when the airline blames an event it describes as extraordinary.
In a recent ruling, the UK’s adjudication scheme found that British Airways failed to reroute passengers properly, even though the original cancellation was caused by a legitimate extraordinary circumstance. The flight was from Delhi to London, and the airline rebooked the passengers two days later without providing proof that it had exhausted all earlier rerouting options. In this article, we unpack what this case means, how flight cancellation rights in the UK are applied through UK261, and how Click2Refund secured a successful outcome for the affected travelers.
In March 2025, a family was flying from Delhi to Hamburg with a layover in London. Their flight to Heathrow was cancelled because of a power outage at the airport. British Airways blamed the disruption and said it couldn’t do much.
Click2Refund looked into it and filed a claim. The cancellation wasn’t the main issue. What mattered was the delay in rebooking. The family had to wait two days for the next flight, and BA didn’t show if quicker options were checked.
Based on the facts, the final decision was in favor of the passengers. The airline couldn’t prove it met its duty to reroute them as soon as possible. That part of the law still applies, even when cancellations are caused by things beyond the airline’s control. This case shows why knowing your rights and acting on them can lead to real results.
EU261 and UK261 protect passengers when flights go wrong, but it also gives airlines a narrow exception. If the disruption was caused by something truly outside their control, they may not have to pay compensation. These are known as extraordinary circumstances.
Article 5(3) of the regulation explains this. Things like extreme weather, airspace closures, or airport power outages could count. If the airline can prove that they had no way to avoid the issue. That said, even when this rule applies, airlines still have legal duties.
A valid extraordinary circumstance only removes the obligation to pay compensation under Article 7. It does not cancel the rest of the law. Passengers must still be rerouted as soon as possible and given basic care like meals and accommodation. If the airline fails to do this, a claim may still succeed.
Flight cancellation rights in the EU and in the UK are still backed by this structure. The moment an airline fails to rebook you promptly or provide basic support, a valid claim may exist, even when the original cancellation was allowed under the law.
Under EU261 and UK261, cancellation doesn’t mean you just have to wait and hope for the next flight. Article 8 gives you something more important: the right to be rerouted quickly. That right applies to every passenger, no matter the reason for the cancellation.
Article 8(1)(b) of EU261 is clear. The airline must offer the earliest possible rerouting, and that includes flights with other carriers if they can get you to your destination sooner. They do not just owe you a seat; they owe you urgency. And if they claim there was no faster option, they need to back that up with evidence.
British Airways missed this step. In the March 2025 case, they rebooked passengers two days later and gave no proof that other flights were unavailable. That failure to prove is what made the claim successful.
Understanding your EU261 and UK261 compensation rights means knowing what the airline owes you. And flight rerouting rights are a big part of that. If your airline leaves you waiting, you may be entitled to more than just a new booking.
British Airways had every reason to cancel the flight. The Heathrow power failure in March 2025 was serious and unpredictable. In the final decision, that was never in question. But what came after mattered just as much, and that is where BA got it wrong.
They put the passengers on a flight two days later and offered no evidence that anything sooner had been considered. Under UK261 regulation, that’s not good enough. Airlines have to prove that they searched for earlier options. That includes checking their own routes and looking at other carriers. BA did neither, at least didn’t show it.
That silence is what lost them the case. The law doesn’t ask passengers to chase the airline for answers. It requires airlines to document their efforts. In this Click2Refund flight claim, the final decision stated that British Airyas had failed that obligation.
This outcome shows what many passengers do not realize. Airlines cannot simply claim no options existed. They must show records, checklists, or system searches that prove it. If they do not, the claim is likely to succeed.
Click2Refund argued that the rerouting duty under UK261 had not been met. The airline needed to show it had explored all available options. That includes rerouting through other airlines if they could have gotten the passengers to their destination sooner. But no such evidence was submitted.
With a Click2Refund flight cancellation claim, passengers don’t need to chase paperwork or prove anything themselves. We build the case and focus on what the law requires. In this case, that approach worked. The passengers were awarded £1040, it is £520 per passenger. Not because the cancellation was unfair, but because the airline failed to act fast, and failed to prove it tried.
There is a lot that passengers can take from this case. First, understand your full rights. EU261 and UK261 compensation rules do not stop cancellation. Under Article 8, airlines have a duty to reroute you at the earliest possible moment. That right applies even if the cause of the delay was outside their control.
Too often, passengers give up when they hear the words “extraordinary circumstance.” But this case shows that rerouting rights still apply. If the airline does not act fast and cannot prove why, it could owe you compensation.
Hold onto every detail of your trip. Keep flight emails, rebooking messages, and anything that shows how long you waited. If your replacement flight did not seem like the fastest option, it probably was not. You do not need to argue that alone. Let Click2Refund handle it.
Know Your Rights. Claim What You Deserve. Let Click2Refund Help.
Airlines may cancel flights for many reasons. However, what they do after that matters just as much. Under UK261 and Eu261 flight compensation law, you have the right not just to get a refund, but to be rerouted at the earliest possible opportunity. That rule stands even when the cancellation happens due to an extraordinary event.
In this case, Click2Refund built a strong claim by focusing on rerouting failure—not the cancellation itself. The airline didn’t show that it tried all options, and we won £520 per passenger compensation for the affected travelers. This is how the law works when applied correctly—and this is why professional help matters.
If you’ve faced a cancellation, a delayed rerouting, or a vague airline excuse, we can step in. A Click2Refund flight claim is simple, supported, and successful.
1. If my flight was cancelled due to an extraordinary event, can I still get compensation?
Yes, under EU261 and UK261, you may still be eligible. Even when a cancellation is caused by something outside the airline’s control, they are still required to reroute you at the earliest possible opportunity. If they delay this and cannot prove why, you could be owed compensation.
2. What does “earliest possible rerouting” really mean under EU261 and UK261?
It means the airline must make every effort to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, even if that means booking you on a different airline. If they cannot prove that no earlier flights were available, they may be in breach of Article 8 of EU261, and compensation could be due even after a valid cancellation.
3. How can Click2Refund help if my airline has already denied my claim?
Click2Refund can reassess your case if you have a disrupted flight in last 6 years and file a fresh claim using legal arguments you may not have known. Airlines often reject valid cases, hoping passengers won’t push back.
We know how to challenge them, even after they say no. With no win–no fee and a 98% success rate in court, your case is in expert hands.