Cancelled flights at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: what are your rights?

Refund or alternative flight

Has the airline cancelled your flight due to the problems at Schiphol? In this case, you should get a choice of three options:

1. A full refund
2. A new flight to your destination, close to the scheduled departure time of the original flight.
3. A new flight to your destination, on a later date of your choice.

The airline should pay the costs for the new flight. The airline may not charge you for the changes. The alternative flight should have comparable transport conditions. This means it should be a flight within a similar price range and with a similar route and duration. For example, a flight with a duration that is 30 minutes more than the original flight is acceptable. However, you do not have to accept extra lay-overs or a flight that will take twice as long as the original flight.

Please note: you will only be offered a choice once. It’s not possible to pick a different option at a later stage.

If no alternative flight is offered

Has the airline not given you an option for an alternative flight? For example by refunding your ticket without further notice? This may be difficult if you still wish to travel to your destination, as booking a new last-minute flight yourself is often more expensive.

In some cases you are entitled to financial compensation. The airline should pay for the difference in price. Do note that the alternative flight you book should be a flight with comparable transport conditions. This means that, for example, it’s not possible to book a flight in a different price bracket (e.g. business class instead of economy class).

What to do

Has the airline cancelled your flight and has it not offered you an alternative flight?

• Contact the airline in writing and ask for a new flight.
• Is the airline not offering you a new flight? Tell the airline you will book a new flight yourself. Ask the airline to pay for the possible difference in price.

The European Consumer Centre

Has an airline from another EU country (not from the Netherlands) cancelled your flight? And can you and the airline not reach agreement? Then submit your complaint to the ECC. Our legal experts provide free personal advice and will help solve your complaint with the airline.

Do you have a complaint about a Dutch airline? Notify the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). Please note that the ILT does not handle individual complaints, but may take action if it receives multiple similar complaints about an airline.