Everyone says to use budget airlines, but my flight from Berlin got canceled and cost me a full day

I booked a 40 euro flight with a budget carrier for a Tuesday morning. The flight got canceled with a text at 5 AM, and their only option was a flight 27 hours later. I spent 6 hours on hold with their support, then 3 more at the airport trying to get a different ticket. I had to buy a new 120 euro ticket on a different airline to make my connection. Has anyone found a good backup plan for when these super cheap flights fall apart?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotadams11d ago

That "only option was a flight 27 hours later" is the killer. I was all about those cheap tickets, chasing the lowest number. Then a similar cancelation stranded me in Budapest. I lost a non-refundable hotel night and a concert. The airline offered a voucher for less than the hotel cost. Now I always check the next day's flight schedule on other airlines before I book the cheap one. If there's only one flight a day, I pay more for a real carrier.

the_max11d ago

Ugh, that's the worst. I mean, @elliotadams is right, that next-day check is smart. I learned the hard way too, got stuck in an airport for like 14 hours once. Now I just factor in the potential extra cost and stress, kinda kills the 'deal' sometimes.

sageross4d ago

My buddy got totally wrecked by that last flight of the day thing. His cheap flight got axed, and the next one wasn't for two whole days. He had to sleep on the airport floor and missed his own cousin's wedding. It was a total disaster, and exactly what @elliotadams is talking about. He doesn't even look at budget airlines for important trips anymore. The stress just isn't worth the fifty bucks you save.