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- Your choice
- Refund or rerouting
- Compensation
- 250 to 600 EUR if short notice
- Notice that avoids a payout
- 14 days or more
- Rules in force
- EU Regulation 261/2004
If your flight from Vienna Airport is cancelled, you can choose a full refund or a new flight, and you may also be owed 250 to 600 EUR if you were told less than 14 days ahead. Compensair is a solid pick for the compensation part because it checks your case for free and charges only if it wins.
Vienna is an EU airport, so departures are covered on any airline. Many visitors to Slovakia fly into Vienna and travel on to Bratislava, so a cancellation can strand you far from your hotel.
This guide explains the choices in the first hours and the compensation rules afterwards.
Top picks at a glance
Key takeaways
- You choose between a refund and rerouting when a flight is cancelled.
- Compensation depends on how much notice you got and on the cause.
- Airlines owe meals and a hotel while you wait, whatever the reason.
- Keep receipts for anything you pay for yourself.
- The current rules apply today; the EU reform is not yet in force.
Best ways to handle a cancelled Vienna flight, ranked
-
Our top pick1
Compensair
Best overallBest for: Keeping more of the payout
Compensair reviews your cancellation for free and, if it qualifies, files the claim on a no win, no fee basis. Reported fees are lower than some rivals, but confirm the current terms.
Check your claim with Compensair- Free eligibility check
- No upfront cost
- Reported lower fee than some rivals
- Keeps a share of the payout
- Check current terms and fee
-
2
AirHelp
Best alternativeBest for: People who want it fully handled
AirHelp offers the same type of service. It is a sensible second opinion if one service rejects your case.
Check your claim with AirHelp- Free eligibility check
- Handles airline contact and legal steps
- Fee only if the claim succeeds
- Keeps a share of the payout
- Cases can take months
-
3
Claim directly from the airline
CheapestBest for: Clear-cut cases
Write to the airline with your booking reference and ask for the compensation you are due. This costs nothing but takes persistence.
- No fee
- You keep the full amount
- Airlines may reject or stall
- You handle every follow-up
-
4
Austrian passenger rights agency (apf)
EscalationBest for: Refused claims on Vienna departures
Austria has a national body that handles passenger complaints for flights departing from Austrian airports. Look up its current process on the official site before filing.
- Free
- Official route
- Slow
- Check how to file
First hours: refund or rerouting
When an airline cancels, it must offer a full refund of the unused ticket, or a flight to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or at a later date you choose. If you need to reach Slovakia the same day, ask about options and look at ground travel: our guide to Vienna Airport to Bratislava compares transfers, trains and buses, and Vienna Airport taxi covers the taxi option. Keep receipts if you book your own alternative, because you may claim costs back.
Care while you wait
The airline must provide meals and refreshments, communications and, if an overnight stay is needed, a hotel and transport to it. These rights apply even when the cause is extraordinary. If the airline does not offer them, pay reasonable costs and keep receipts.
When does a cancellation pay compensation?
You are generally not owed compensation if you were told at least 14 days before departure. Told between 7 and 14 days, the airline can avoid paying if it offered a replacement leaving no more than two hours earlier and arriving within four hours of the original. Told under 7 days, the window is one hour earlier and two hours later. The airline also avoids a payout if it proves extraordinary circumstances. Amounts:
| Flight distance | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 250 EUR |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km (and longer flights within the EU) | 400 EUR |
| Over 3,500 km outside the EU | 600 EUR |
EU rules are being reformed. Reports say the European Parliament and Council reached a provisional deal in June 2026 and Parliament approved it in July 2026, but the new rules are expected to apply only in the second half of 2027 or later. Until then the current Regulation 261/2004 applies, so claims for flights today follow the rules described here. Check the status before relying on any new thresholds.
How to claim
- Save the cancellation message and note when you received it.
- Collect booking details and receipts.
- Check eligibility with a claims service or write to the airline.
- Follow up in writing and keep replies.
Claims services typically work on a no win, no fee basis and keep a share of the payout. Reported fees are roughly 35% for AirHelp and 25% for Compensair including VAT, higher if a case goes to court. Check the current terms before you sign. Time limits differ by country, so do not wait.
Protect the rest of the trip
A cancellation can also cost you a prebooked hotel or transfer. Travel insurance may help with those costs, and our EU261 guide has the general rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a refund if my Vienna flight is cancelled?
Yes. You can choose a full refund of the unused ticket or a replacement flight.
How much notice avoids compensation?
If you were told at least 14 days before departure, compensation is generally not due. Shorter notice can qualify unless a replacement flight was close to your original time.
Does EU261 cover Vienna departures on any airline?
Yes. Vienna is in the EU, so flights departing from it are covered whichever airline operates them.
Who pays for my hotel?
The airline must provide a hotel if you need to stay overnight. Keep receipts if you book it yourself.
Is the new EU rule already in force?
No. The reform was politically agreed in 2026, but the current rules apply until it takes effect.
Photo: Vienna International Airport · Hansueli Krapf This file was uploaded with Commonist. · CC BY-SA 3.0
