What do you do when your long haul flight gets cancelled, leaving you stranded thousands of miles from home? If you’re us, you take an unexpected detour through another country, battle airline bureaucracy, and make the most of the chaos! Here’s how our trip from Lima to Madrid turned into a surprise adventure via Chile while also teaching us a thing or two about airline compensation.
The Cancellation: Lima to Madrid… or Not
Our journey started like any other bags packed, kids (somewhat) ready, and excitement to leave Peru behind for the next leg of our world adventure. But then, Iberia dropped a bombshell: Flight IB126 from Lima to Madrid was cancelled.
No warning. No preemptive rebooking. Just straight up cancelled, leaving us in limbo with no clear plan from the airline.
The reason? A “technical issue.” That’s airline speak for “we messed up, but don’t worry, we’ll get you sorted… eventually.”
The Long Wait: Iberia’s Slow Fix
After Iberia confirmed the cancellation, they put us in a hotel for the night after making us all wait hours, it was 1:30am and information was scarce, but at least we got something. But beyond that, no flight, no rebooking, no real answers, they simply didn’t know.
That’s when Ali took matters into her own hands.
At 1:50AM, while the rest of us tried to sleep, she spent two hours on the phone with Iberia, refusing to let them fob us off with vague answers. Agent after agent, transfers, hold music it was a battle of patience, and Ali was determined not to lose.
After a ridiculous amount of back and forth, she finally got Iberia to confirm a rerouted flight for us through Latham, not direct to Madrid, of course, but through Santiago, Chile.
Absolute beast mode!
The Reroute: Lima → Chile → Madrid
The morning after!
We arrived at the airport the next morning, thinking we were good to go… but no.
Latam could see the booking reference, but not our actual tickets Iberia didn’t press go…
So, off to the Iberia desk we went, hoping for a quick fix. Nope. Iberia staff shrugged and told us they couldn’t do anything, saying we had to wait for an email about an official re-cancellation (whatever that means).
Cue more waiting. More confusion. More frustration.
At this point, Ali called Iberia again, and after another hour long battle, they finally sorted the tickets.
By the time we got our boarding passes in hand and headed toward security, we were late for check in beyond exhausted and not sitting together but at least finally on our way to Madrid.
What Iberia Owes Us (And What YOU Should Know If This Happens to You!)
Under EU261/2004, Iberia must pay €600 per person for the cancellation and rerouting delay. Since they provided a hotel but left us scrambling at the airport for tickets, they also owe compensation for meals, transport, and any other reasonable expenses.
Here’s what you’re entitled to if your flight gets cancelled:
✔ €600 per passenger for cancellations under Iberia’s control
✔ A rebooked flight OR a full refund
✔ Hotel accommodation if you’re stranded overnight
✔ Meals and refreshments while waiting
✔ Transport to and from the hotel
✔ Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket costs
If an airline cancels your flight, they are legally required to provide these things. If they refuse, you can escalate your claim to AESA (Spain’s Aviation Authority).
While seeing an extra country wasn’t the worst outcome, the stress of rerouting, rescheduling, and chasing compensation was definitely not part of our original itinerary. Flight cancellations happen but knowing your rights makes all the difference.
Now, the real challenge begins: getting Iberia to actually pay up. Stay tuned!
✈️ Have you ever had a flight cancelled and had to fight for compensation? Drop your horror stories in the comments
we’d love to hear them!
