If the airline changes or cancels your flight

Written by Owen (SI), Director, Booking Operations · Updated 2026-10-05

You didn't do anything wrong: changes like this come from the airline. Contact us as soon as you hear about it, and we'll help you navigate it.

We know a cancelled or changed flight can be stressful, especially when your trip is close. Airline cancellations and delays are handled by the airline operating the flight, under the rules that apply, such as US Department of Transportation (DOT) rules or EU261 in Europe. You don't have to sort it out alone.

How do I let you know?

Choose whichever is easiest for you:

  • Chat with the Defera Concierge, our AI concierge. It sends your request to our team, and the answer appears on your trip page and arrives by email.
  • Call +1 (415) 319-8553 to reach the same concierge by voice, 24/7.
  • Email support@defera.app. Our email response time is 2–5 hours.

Calling isn't a faster lane than chatting. It's the same AI concierge, by voice.

What if my flight is very soon?

Say so at the start of your chat, and tell the concierge when you fly. It can send an urgent request to our team, which is the fastest way to reach a person. Getting urgent help before your flight has more.

What should I include?

So our team has what it needs from the start, include:

  • Your booking reference. It's the code at the top of your booking confirmation email, and it's on your trip page too.
  • Which flight changed. Tell us what the airline told you: the new times, or that the flight is cancelled.
  • Whether the new schedule works for you.
  • The airline's email or text, if you have one, so the details are exact.

What happens next?

Here's what happens:

  1. You tell the concierge. Share what the airline told you.
  2. The concierge sends a request to our team. It shows as a card on your trip page, marked "Submitted · in progress".
  3. Our team replies. They look at your trip, and the answer appears on your trip page and arrives by email.

Every airline change is different, so we don't list outcomes here.

Which airline is handling it?

Sometimes the airline that sold your seat isn't the one flying the plane. Your itinerary shows this as "Operated by" another airline. The airline that operates the flight is the one handling the cancellation or delay. What is a codeshare flight? explains more.

What if the airline tells me to contact the company I booked with?

That's us. Contact us the same way, and our team will take it from there.

Did the change come from us?

If you said yes to the Free Flight Upgrade question at checkout, we may move you to a faster route on the same dates, in the same cabin, at no extra cost. We always email you when we do. The Free Flight Upgrade question at checkout explains how it works.

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