FlightRepay

ANSWER · UK 261 AND EC 261

I did not check in because the flight was cancelled. Can I still claim?

Yes. Art. 3(2)(a) requires presenting for check in on time except in the case of cancellation under Art. 5: a cancelled flight keeps its passengers in scope with no check in at all. For delays and denied boarding the condition stands: present as stipulated, or no later than 45 minutes before departure where no time was given. The ordinary compensation rules then apply.

REVIEWED AGAINST RULE SET V6 AND THE CITED PRIMARY SOURCES · UPDATED 7 AUGUST 2026

The exact condition

Art. 3(2) keeps you covered if you had a confirmed reservation and, except for cancellations, presented for check in at the stipulated time, or 45 minutes ahead where none was given. It also covers passengers transferred by the airline or a tour operator from their booked flight to another, irrespective of the reason.

What you still need to show

The reservation. A booking reference or confirmation email identifies the contract and the flight; a boarding pass cannot exist for a flight cancelled before boarding, and nothing in the regulation requires one for a cancellation claim.

SOURCES

  1. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 3(2) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026
  2. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Art. 5(1)(c) · EUR-Lex · checked 7 August 2026

RELATED QUESTIONS

Can I claim without a boarding pass?Making a claimWhat do I need to make a flight compensation claim?Making a claimIs compensation due if the airline cancelled more than 14 days ahead?Cancellations

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