Flight Delayed or Cancelled in Russia: What to Do

A delayed or cancelled flight can disrupt a connection, accommodation and other arrangements. The first task is to document the facts and obtain information from the carrier; the legal result depends on the itinerary, the reason for the disruption and whether Russian or international rules govern the carriage.

At the airport: secure evidence first

1. Ask the carrier or its representative for written confirmation of the delay, cancellation or change of route.
2. Keep boarding passes, itinerary, baggage documents, notices, screenshots and receipts for necessary expenses.
3. Clarify whether the carrier offers re-routing, a later flight, a refund, or other arrangements.
4. If the journey contains a connection, confirm in writing which segments remain valid and who will handle the changed itinerary.

Passenger services during a disruption

The Federal Aviation Rules require a carrier to organise specified passenger services when carriage is interrupted through the carrier’s fault and in cases of delay, cancellation or route change, including situations associated with weather or safety-related aircraft defects. The exact service, timing and factual conditions should be checked against the current rules and the actual airport situation.

Ask the carrier what has been arranged, and keep a record if the information or service is not provided. A disagreement about services is easier to evaluate when the time line is documented.

Claims after the flight

For domestic carriage, Article 120 of the Air Code provides a statutory framework for delay in delivering a passenger or baggage to the destination. It also lists circumstances by which a carrier may seek to avoid liability. The passenger may additionally seek to prove actual losses under the applicable law, but recovery is not automatic: causation, documents and the reason for the disruption matter.

International and connecting flights

For an international itinerary, the applicable carriage contract, route, foreign law and international convention rules can change the analysis. Do not use a domestic-flight guide as a substitute for examining the ticket, carrier and entire itinerary.

How to prepare a written request

Set out the flight number, scheduled and actual times, the disruption notice, what you requested at the airport, the carrier’s response and each documented expense. Attach copies, retain originals and ask for a reasoned written reply. The appropriate claim can differ between a re-routing dispute, a refund request, baggage delay and a claim for expenses.

Official sources

• Air Code, Article 120: carrier liability for delay
• Federal Aviation Rules on passenger carriage and passenger services