What to Do if Your Transavia Flight Is Cancelled (5 Simple Steps + EU Passenger Rights Explained)

Flight cancellations happen every single day — sometimes because of technical problems, extreme weather, or staff shortages and strikes. Even if you don’t fly often, it’s likely you’ll face a cancellation at some point.

So, what to do if your Transavia flight is cancelled? And can you get a refund, a new flight, or even compensation?

Use our simple 5-step guide to stay calm, make the best decision, and claim what you’re entitled to.

Check your compensation online.

What to Do if Your Transavia Flight Is Cancelled?

Transavia flight cancellations can be confusing, especially when you’re trying to understand your rights and what to do next. To make things easier, we’ve put together a simple, easy-to-follow 5-step guide that helps you navigate the situation without stress. Save it for later so you’re always prepared.

So, what to do if your Transavia flight is cancelled — and what should you do right away? Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Confirm the Cancellation and Check Your Options

First, confirm that your flight is officially cancelled.

What you do next depends on where you are.

If you’re at the airport:

Stay near the gate and wait for updates from the airline.

Connect to the airport Wi-Fi and check your email — sometimes airlines send notifications quickly. Otherwise, wait for the official announcement. The airline will offer you options such as a new flight (possibly with another carrier) or a full refund.

While you wait for your replacement flight, you have a right to care: free meals, refreshments and, if it’s an overnight wait, a free hotel stay.

If you’re still at home:

Monitor your email and booking. If your flight departs within 24 hours and you haven’t received any information, call the airline to ask about your next steps, especially if you’re on a tight schedule. Otherwise, wait for the airline to contact you with details and instructions.

What if Your Flight Is Cancelled Due to Weather or Other Uncontrollable Events?

If your flight is cancelled because of severe weather, storms, or any other situation outside the airline’s control, your rights still remain the same. There are two key points to remember:

• You still have the right to care — meaning meals, drinks, accommodation (if necessary), and communication while you wait.
• You must be offered a choice between a new flight or a full refund, which must be paid within seven days.

Even when the cancellation falls under “extraordinary circumstances,” EU rules require airlines to support passengers while they wait for their replacement flight.

Before heading to the airport, make sure you understand what to do if your Transavia flight is cancelled so you’re prepared for any last-minute changes.

Step 2: Review Your Itinerary Carefully

Think about whether this cancellation will cause you to miss something important — another flight, a train, a bus, or even a ferry connection.

If not, move on to Step 3.

But if you do have a connecting flight, here’s what matters:

If all your flights were booked together on one reservation:

You’re protected. The airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination and will rebook your entire journey at no extra cost. In many cases, you won’t need to do anything. If the delay/cancellation that caused you to miss your flight is due to the airline’s fault, you may be entitled to missed connection compensation.

If the connecting flight was booked separately:

This is a different situation. This is called a self-transfer, and your rights are more limited. Even if the next flight is with the same airline, these trips are treated as separate bookings.

That means you are responsible for arranging and paying for a new connection if you miss it.

The same applies to any other transport — trains, buses, ferries, or anything else you booked separately.

Step 3: Choose Between a Refund or a New Flight

Once the airline presents your options, decide what works best for your travel plans. In most cases, you’ll be choosing between:

• A new flight (rebooking at no extra cost), or
• A full refund

If you choose a refund but still plan to travel, begin searching for a replacement flight immediately and book it as soon as you can to avoid higher prices or limited availability. Keep in mind that the airline will not reimburse you for this new flight — once you accept a refund, all further travel arrangements are your responsibility.

Read more: Refund for a Cancelled Flight, New Flight, or Compensation? Understanding Your Rights

Step 4: Use Your Right to Care During Long Waits

If your new flight leaves more than three hours later, you’re entitled to free care, regardless of the reason for the cancellation. This includes meals, drinks, and two free forms of communication (such as phone calls or emails).

If the delay stretches overnight, the airline must also provide free hotel accommodation and transportation between the airport and the hotel.

To receive these services, wait for instructions from the airline. If no announcement is made, don’t hesitate to approach an airline representative and request the assistance you’re entitled to.

Read more: Right to Care

Step 5: Check Whether You’re Entitled to Flight Cancellation Compensation

Many passengers don’t realize that they may be eligible for compensation when a Transavia flight is cancelled. If the airline is responsible for the cancellation, you could receive up to €600 per passenger under Regulation EU261.

This compensation is separate from your refund or rebooking — the airline must still offer you a new flight or a full refund, even if compensation is due.

These rights apply when you are flying to or from Europe. For non-EU airlines, compensation applies only if the flight departed from Europe. And importantly, you don’t need to be an EU citizen — all nationalities are protected under EU261.

If you think the airline may be at fault, it’s worth checking whether you qualify.

When Are You Entitled to Flight Cancellation Compensation?

Your compensation rights depend on when the airline informs you about the cancellation and how much your new schedule changes.

If you are notified of the cancellation between 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:

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

If you are notified of the cancellation less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, departing not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination not more than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

Other EU flight compensation requirements:

1. You are flying to or from Europe.
2. It’s the airline’s fault.
3. If you are flying from a country outside the European Union, your flight must be with an EU airline.

As Transavia is a European airline, EU compensation regulation EU261 covers all of its flights.

How much is flight compensation?

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

Knowing what to do if your Transavia flight is cancelled can help you avoid stress and secure the refund or rebooking, and flight cancellation compensation you’re entitled to.

Featured photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels