flight cancellation

Meaning

The decision by an airline not to operate a scheduled flight, often due to bad weather, technical issues, or labor strikes. When this happens, passengers are usually offered a refund or rebooked on an alternative flight.

Examples

• The sudden snowstorm resulted in a major flight cancellation across the East Coast.

  The sudden snowstorm resulted in a major flight cancellation across the East Coast.

• We received an email notification about our flight cancellation just three hours before departure.

  We received an email notification about our flight cancellation just three hours before departure.

• In the event of a flight cancellation, the airline must provide alternative travel options.

  In the event of a flight cancellation, the airline must provide alternative travel options.

• I had to buy travel insurance to protect myself against unexpected flight cancellations.

  I had to buy travel insurance to protect myself against unexpected flight cancellations.

• The customer service agent apologized for the flight cancellation and offered us a hotel voucher.

  The customer service agent apologized for the flight cancellation and offered us a hotel voucher.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ My flight did a cancellation because of the storm.

  ✓ My flight was cancelled because of the storm.

  A flight cannot perform the action of 'doing' a cancellation. Use the passive verb 'was cancelled' or the noun phrase 'there was a flight cancellation'.

• ✗ I am calling to ask for a refund for my cancelled flight cancellation.

  ✓ I am calling to ask for a refund due to my flight cancellation.

  Avoid using both the adjective 'cancelled flight' and the noun 'cancellation' together in a redundant way.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We had to stay at an airport hotel because of a last-minute ___.

  💡 When a scheduled flight is called off.

  Show answer

  flight cancellation

• Does this travel insurance policy cover expenses from a ___?

  💡 The noun form for when a flight does not happen.

  Show answer

  flight cancellation