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Your standby flight was cancelled or you didn't get on: what to do next

A cancelled flight or a full one hits staff travellers harder than paying passengers: you're last in line for the next flight and usually on your own for a hotel. Here is what the airline does for you, what it doesn't, and how to find another way to get where you're going. New to standby? Start with How to fly standby.

Directs full or cancelled? Look for a connection with open seats on both legs.

Find a connecting route in the app

Don't count on compensation or a hotel

On staff tickets you are usually not covered by passenger rights rules. Finnair states that EU261, the European rule on compensation and care for delays and cancellations, does not apply to ID travel, and asks staff not to file claims. Pacific Coastal says standby travellers aren't eligible under any passenger rights legislation.

Many airlines go further and ask you to refuse compensation if it is offered, for example Norwegian, Breeze and JSX. Allegiant rules out interrupted trip expenses, Royal Jordanian offers no right to care on tickets without a booking right, and Air Astana makes travellers responsible for their own accommodation and any re-routing.

In practice, plan to pay for your own hotel, meals and transport if you get stuck.

Get on the next flight

On the same route, ask at the gate or the desk first. Some airlines move you to the next flight on request: Breeze, JSX and Flair do this for the same route. On Royal Jordanian, with a ticket without a booking right you can go standby on the next RJ flight.

For a different route, or where the airline doesn't move you, you re-list yourself, usually in myIDTravel. Norwegian and Widerøe ask you to cancel and re-list there, Air Inuit makes bumped travellers responsible for re-listing on the next flight, and Vueling takes requests for the next available flight through myIDTravel.

Expect the next flights to fill up. Passengers from the cancelled flight are rebooked before you: on JSX, disrupted paying customers top the standby list. A flight that looked open in the morning may not be by the afternoon.

Look wider than the next direct

When the directs are full, widen the search:

Other airlines on the same route where your airline has a ZED or interline agreement. See ZED fares explained for how these fares work.
Nearby airports. Search by city code, for example NYC, LON or PAR, to see every airport in a city at once.
A connection through another hub, even if it takes longer.
A paid ticket on a low-cost airline. Same-day fares aren't always cheap, but it's worth a look before you settle on a night at the airport.

A connection only helps if there's room on both flights. Transfer route finder in Staff Airlines looks for connecting routes when a direct won't work, and shows loads on both legs, so you don't fly to a hub only to get stuck there. It's part of Premium, and a month of Premium costs about the same as a coffee at the airport.

On two separate staff tickets you won't be checked through: you collect your boarding pass, and any bags, at the transfer airport. Standby connections explains how to plan for that.

If you stay overnight

If nothing gets you out tonight, list for the first flights in the morning before you leave the airport, while you can still see the options. Early flights are often the best chance after a cancellation, before the day's passengers fill them.

Airport hotels near busy hubs sell out fast on disruption days, so book as soon as you know you're staying. Check the transit and visa rules before leaving the airside area: if you're in transit without a visa for that country, you may have to stay airside.

Have a backup before you fly

The best time to plan for a cancellation is before it happens. Alaska Airlines advises staff to know their other flight options in advance and even print them out, to be ready for full flights, cancellations and delays.

Before you go, note two or three alternatives: a later flight, another airline you can fly on staff tickets, a connection through a hub with good loads. Travel with carry-on only when you can: every change of plan is simpler without a checked bag. Rules and deadlines change, and ours may be inaccurate or out of date, so check them with your airline before you travel.

Questions, answered

Will the airline pay for my hotel if my standby flight is cancelled?

Usually not. Staff travellers are generally not covered by passenger rights rules: Air Astana makes travellers responsible for their own accommodation, and Royal Jordanian offers no right to care on tickets without a booking right.

Can I claim EU261 compensation on a staff ticket?

No. EU261 doesn't apply to passengers travelling free or at a reduced fare not available to the public, and Finnair asks staff not to file claims. Many airlines ask you to refuse compensation if it is offered.

Do I have to re-list after a cancellation?

It depends on the airline. Some move you to the next flight on the same route on request, such as Breeze, JSX and Flair. For a different route, you usually cancel and re-list yourself, often in myIDTravel.

How do I find another way home when the directs are full?

Look at other airlines you can fly on staff tickets, nearby airports and connections through a hub. Transfer route finder in Staff Airlines shows connecting routes with loads on both legs.

Rules change often and this guide may be out of date. Check with your airline's staff travel department before you travel. Staff Airlines isn't responsible for denied boarding, missed flights or other losses. Found a mistake? Let us know.

Pick the flight, then list

Staff Airlines shows estimated open seats on the flights you're considering, so you list on the one with the best chances. Free on iPhone and Android.

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